Brown Kevin M, Blader Ira J
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73034 USA.
J Ocul Biol Dis Infor. 2009 Dec 12;2(4):214-222. doi: 10.1007/s12177-009-9040-8.
Ocular toxoplasmosis, which is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is the leading cause of retinochoroiditis. Toxoplasma is an obligate intracellular pathogen that replicates within a parasitophorous vacuole. Infections are initiated by digestion of parasites deposited in cat feces or in undercooked meat. Parasites then disseminate to target tissues that include the retina where they then develop into long-lived asymptomatic tissue cysts. Occasionally, cysts reactivate and growth of newly emerged parasites must be controlled by the host's immune system or disease will occur. The mechanisms by which Toxoplasma grows within its host cell, encysts, and interacts with the host's immune system are important questions. Here, we will discuss how the use of DNA microarrays in transcriptional profiling, genotyping, and epigenetic experiments has impacted our understanding of these processes. Finally, we will discuss how these advances relate to ocular toxoplasmosis and how future research on ocular toxoplasmosis can benefit from DNA microarrays.
眼部弓形虫病由原生动物寄生虫刚地弓形虫引起，是视网膜脉络膜炎的主要病因。弓形虫是一种专性细胞内病原体，在寄生泡内进行复制。感染始于摄入沉积在猫粪便或未煮熟肉类中的寄生虫。寄生虫随后扩散到包括视网膜在内的靶组织，在那里它们发育成长寿的无症状组织囊肿。偶尔，囊肿会重新激活，新出现的寄生虫的生长必须由宿主免疫系统控制，否则就会发病。弓形虫在宿主细胞内生长、形成包囊以及与宿主免疫系统相互作用的机制是重要的问题。在这里，我们将讨论DNA微阵列在转录谱分析、基因分型和表观遗传学实验中的应用如何影响我们对这些过程的理解。最后，我们将讨论这些进展与眼部弓形虫病的关系，以及眼部弓形虫病的未来研究如何从DNA微阵列中受益。
