Toxoplasma gondii infection results in co-option and subversion of host cellular signaling pathways. This process involves discharge of T. gondii effector molecules from parasite secretory organelles such as rhoptries and dense granules.

The authors reported that the T. gondii polymorphic dense granule protein GRA6 regulates activation of the host transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 4 (NFAT4). Their data suggest that GRA6-dependent NFAT4 activation is required for T. gondii manipulation of host immune responses to maximize the parasite virulence in a strain-dependent manner.

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Contact:

Masahiro YAMAMOTO
Immunoparasitology
Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University