The image at left shows tissue from the intestine of a normal mouse. At right, in a mouse infected with Toxoplasma gondii, the intestines are inflamed and have lost much of their normal structure. Image: Kirk Jensen

Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that infects about one-third of the world’s population, comes in several strains. some can have severe consequences such as encephalitis, while others produce no noticeable symptoms.

Jeroen Saeij, an MIT biologist who has been studying Toxoplasma for several years, is trying to figure out the root of that discrepancy. in his latest work, he found that two of the three most common strains of Toxoplasma produce a protein that actually suppresses inflammation in the infected host — a discovery that could help researchers develop new ways to shut off inflammation in patients infected with the more threatening strains of Toxoplasma, or even in people with other inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease.

“There’s a lot of these inflammatory diseases, and if there’s a general pathway that’s really good at quelling inflammation, there might be [drug] applications,” says Saeij, an assistant professor of biology.

Saeij and his colleagues described the new discovery in the June 15 issue of Cell Host & Microbe. Lead author of the paper is postdoc Kirk Jensen.

Inflammation

Toxoplasma spores, which can infect nearly any warm-blooded animal, are often found in dirt; humans can be infected by eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables. the parasite can cause encephalitis in individuals with suppressed immune systems and is also harmful to fetuses whose mothers become infected during pregnancy. some strains, primarily those found in South America, can lead to blindness.

There are about a dozen major types of strains of Toxoplasma; in North America and Europe, the most common is the type II strain, which is also the one most often isolated from patients with complications from Toxoplasma. in a previous paper, Saeij and colleagues showed that type II produces a form of the protein GRA15 that causes inflammation, an immune reaction that is meant to destroy invaders but can also damage the host’s own tissues if unchecked.

In the new paper, Saeij showed that type II also has a variant form of another protein called ROP16. the researchers found that in types I and III, which are less often found in patients with Toxoplasma symptoms, ROP16 suppresses inflammation in the host. However, the form of ROP16 found in type II has no such effect.

When the researchers inserted type I ROP16 into the type II strain, inflammation was suppressed.

Why opposite results from strains of the same parasite? the researchers believe different forms of the parasite evolved to take advantage of different immune reactions from potential hosts. Toxoplasma wants to provoke some inflammation in the host, because inflammation helps the host survive acute infection. As a consequence, the parasite can form tissue cysts that spread to other victims through carnivorism. However, too much inflammation might kill the host and stop the parasite’s life cycle. By employing different strategies, the parasite can be successful in hosts with varying inflammatory responses.

Jon Boyle, an assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved with this research, agrees with this assessment: “What the paper shows really well is that you have these different strains and even though they are quite similar, each type is adapted to different host environments.”

A model for Crohn’s disease

In the new paper, the researchers studied Toxoplasma infection in mice. the resulting inflammation of the mouse intestine strongly resembles the intestinal inflammation seen in Crohn’s disease, which affects about half a million people in the United States.

It is unknown if any of these cases are actually caused by Toxoplasma, but Saeij says some studies have shown a higher incidence of Toxoplasma in Crohn’s patients compared with the general population.

Saeij and Jensen are now trying to figure out how the ROP16 protein exerts its anti-inflammatory effects, which could help identify new approaches to developing anti-inflammatory drugs. However, that will likely require many more years of research, Saeij says.

“in reality, going from a discovery to a drug can take decades,” he says. “you hope that you contribute to something like that, but that’s always a long road.”

Provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (news : web)

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As you might expect, one of the most common questions asked by parents is, “How can we tell if our child is dyslexic?”

Unfortunately, there is no simple at-home test for dyslexia. An accurate diagnosis requires an in-depth evaluation by a qualified psychologist, speech-language pathologist or clinical educator. what parents can do is observe their child’s behavior and skills and seek testing if they suspect the child is having difficulty.

The signs of dyslexia become most noticeable when children begin to read, at about Kindergarten level. Dyslexic children are often very bright ? they are children who should be able to read with their peers. That discrepancy is what parents, and some teachers, notice first.

There are a number of common signs of dyslexia, which are listed below. But before you skip ahead, please note the following:

• A dyslexic child will not have all of the symptoms on the list.
• Children without language-learning disorders may show some of these behaviors as they are learning to read and write.
• The signs listed below apply primarily to children; adults with dyslexia often learn ways to compensate for their difficulty and may show only a few or none of the symptoms.
• Although it is commonly thought that reversing letters is a sign of dyslexia, not all dyslexic children reverse letters.
• It is also commonly believed that dyslexia is more prevalent among boys, but this is untrue; dyslexia is distributed nearly evenly among boys and girls.

Some common signs of dyslexia in students:

Children who are evaluated and diagnosed with dyslexia need specialized therapy. the earlier that treatment is initiated, the more quickly the child can catch up with his or her peers and gain the essential skills needed to thrive in school ? and in life. Early and effective treatment for dyslexia reduces frustration and behavior problems that many accompany undiagnosed or untreated language-learning disorders.

This Webinar for parents provides more information. if you would like a referral to a qualified professional or if you have questions about dyslexia or language-learning disorders, give me a call at 1-888-603-1788 ext. 1 or e-mail .