TY - JOUR AU - Dard, Céline AU - Swale, Christopher AU - Brenier-Pinchart, Marie-Pierre AU - Farhat, Dayana C. AU - Bellini, Valeria AU - Robert, Marie Gladys AU - Cannella, Dominique AU - Pelloux, Hervé AU - Tardieux, Isabelle AU - Hakimi, Mohamed-Ali PY - 2021 DA - 2021/02/09 TI - A brain cyst load-associated antigen is a Toxoplasma gondii biomarker for serodetection of persistent parasites and chronic infection JO - BMC Biology SP - 25 VL - 19 IS - 1 AB - Biomarker discovery remains a major challenge for predictive medicine, in particular, in the context of chronic diseases. This is true for the widespread protozoan Toxoplasma gondii which establishes long-lasting parasitism in metazoans, humans included. This microbe successively unfolds distinct genetic programs that direct the transition from high to low replicative potential inside host cells. As a slow-replicating cell, the T. gondii bradyzoite developmental stage persists enclosed in a cyst compartment within tissues including the nervous system, being held by a sustained immune equilibrium which accounts for the prolonged clinically silent phase of parasitism. Serological surveys indicate that nearly one third of the human population has been exposed to T. gondii and possibly host bradyzoites. Because any disruption of the immune balance drives the reverse transition from bradyzoite to fast replicating tachyzoite and uncontrolled growth of the latter, these people are at risk for life-threatening disease. While serological tests for discriminating recent from past infection are available, there is yet no immunogenic biomarker used in the serological test to allow ascertaining the presence of persistent bradyzoites. SN - 1741-7007 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-021-00959-9 DO - 10.1186/s12915-021-00959-9 ID - Dard2021 ER -