Yang Dongqian, Liu Xiaohua, Li Jing, Wu Kaijuan, Xie Jing, Wang Yixiao, Wang Zheng, Jiang Liping
Department of Parasitology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, PR China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People's Hospital of Changde City), Changde, 415003, Hunan, PR China.
Department of Parasitology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, PR China.
Toxicon. 2025 Nov;266:108540. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108540. Epub 2025 Aug 14.
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular parasite with multiple routes of infection that poses a serious health risk to pregnant women, fetuses, and immunocompromised populations. Currently, clinical drugs in the treatment of toxoplasmosis continue to face challenges such as drug resistance. In the face of this challenge, researchers have gradually focused on the potential medicinal value of animal venoms in the fight against T. gondii, especially venom peptides showing advantages such as high potency, membrane targeting, and immunomodulation. The present study aimed to explore whether XYP4, a peptide derived from the venom of the Lycosa coelestis (L. coelestis), possesses better anti-T. gondii activity and its mode of action. The experimental results showed that XYP4 is an amphiphilic cationic linear polypeptide with an α-helix, which can exert anti-toxoplasma activity at low concentrations, affecting the lytic cycle. This polypeptide showed moderate survival benefits in mice infected with T. gondii. The main modes of action of XYP4 include inhibition of tachyzoites' intracellular proliferation, modulation of inflammatory factor expression in the host cells, and disruption of tachyzoite membrane integrity.
刚地弓形虫是一种具有多种感染途径的细胞内寄生虫，对孕妇、胎儿和免疫功能低下人群构成严重健康风险。目前，治疗弓形虫病的临床药物仍面临耐药性等挑战。面对这一挑战，研究人员逐渐将目光聚焦于动物毒液在对抗刚地弓形虫方面的潜在药用价值，尤其是具有高效、膜靶向和免疫调节等优势的毒液肽。本研究旨在探讨源自中华狼蛛毒液的肽XYP4是否具有更好的抗刚地弓形虫活性及其作用方式。实验结果表明，XYP4是一种具有α-螺旋的两亲性阳离子线性多肽，能在低浓度下发挥抗弓形虫活性，影响其裂解周期。该多肽在感染刚地弓形虫的小鼠中显示出一定的生存益处。XYP4的主要作用方式包括抑制速殖子的细胞内增殖、调节宿主细胞中炎症因子表达以及破坏速殖子膜的完整性。
