Toxoplasma gondii infections are primarily diagnosed by serological assays, whereas molecular and fluorescence-based techniques are garnering attention for their high sensitivity in detecting these infections. Nevertheless, each detection method has its limitations. The toxoplasmosis detection capabilities of most of the currently available methods have not been evaluated under identical experimental conditions. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with various doses of T. gondii ME49. The detection of toxoplasmosis from sera and brain tissues was markedly enhanced in mice subjected to high infection doses (200 and 300 cysts) compared to those subjected to lower doses (10 and 50 cysts) for all the detection methods. Additionally, increased B1 gene expression levels and cyst sizes were observed in the brain tissues of the mice. Importantly, IHC, IF, and ELISA, but not RT-PCR, successfully detected T. gondii infections at the lowest infection dose (10 cysts) in the brain. These findings may prove beneficial while designing experimental methodologies for detecting T. gondii infections in mice.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Spatiotemporal Diffusion, Colonization, and Antibody Responses in Susceptible C57BL/6J Mice Orally Infected with Toxoplasma gondii Cysts Zhao Li, Qi-Shuai Liu, Jun-Jie Hu, Cai-Qin Deng, Tao Li, Wen-Bin Zheng, Xing-Quan Zhu, Feng-Cai Zou Veterinary Sciences.2025; 12(3): 212. CrossRef
Ivermectin Identified Using a High-Throughput Screening System Exhibits Anti-Clonorchis sinensis Activity in Rats Soon-Ok Lee, Hyeryon Lee, Ki Back Chu, Jianhua Li, Sung-Jong Hong, Sung Soo Kim, Joo Hwan No, Fu-Shi Quan Antibiotics.2025; 14(8): 837. CrossRef
Recombinant vaccinia virus expressing MIC8, AMA1, or RON4 induce protection against Toxoplasma gondii ME49 strain infection Hae-Ji Kang, Fu-Shi Quan Acta Tropica.2025; 270: 107812. CrossRef
Protective Efficacy Induced by Virus-like Particles Expressing Dense Granule Protein 5 of Toxoplasma gondii Su In Heo, Hae-Ji Kang, Jie Mao, Zhao-Shou Yang, Md Atique Ahmed, Fu-Shi Quan Vaccines.2025; 13(8): 787. CrossRef
Vaccinia virus expressing MIC8 and AMA1 provides protection against Toxoplasma gondii ME49 infection Hae-Ji Kang, Yan Jin, Zhao-Shou Yang, Md Atique Ahmed, Fu-Shi Quan Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2025; 63(4): 340. CrossRef
Toxoplasma gondii ME49 infections are typically diagnosed by serological tests. However, serological diagnosis of RH strain-induced toxoplasmosis remains unknown. In order to develop seradiagnosis of above 2 kinds of infections, we generated recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) displaying the T. gondii rhoptry protein 4 (ROP4) and evaluated their potential in T. gondii ME49 or RH strain infection diagnostics. Mice were orally infected with either the tachyzoites of T. gondii (RH) or cysts of T. gondii (ME49) at various dosages, and sera were collected at regular intervals. ELISA-based serological tests were performed to assess IgG, IgM, and IgA antibody responses against ROP4 VLP antigen and tissue lysate antigen (TLA). Compared to TLA, IgG, IgM, and IgA levels to ROP4 VLP antigen were significantly higher in the sera of T. gondii RH-infected mice 1 and 2 week post-infection (PI). T. gondii-specific IgG antibody was detected at 1, 2, 4, and 8 week PI in the T. gondii ME49-infected mice with infection dose-dependent manner. These results indicated that the ROP4 VLP antigen was highly sensitive antigens detecting T. gondii RH and ME49 antibodies at an early stage.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
IgM Antibody Detection as a Diagnostic Marker for Acute Toxoplasmosis: Current Status of Studies and Main Limitations Karolina Sołowińska, Lucyna Holec-Gąsior Antibodies.2025; 14(2): 44. CrossRef
Could metformin modulate the outcome of chronic murine toxoplasmosis? Maha Mohamed Gomaa, Samar Nabil El Achy, Nehal Nassef Hezema Acta Tropica.2024; 258: 107339. CrossRef
Trend in serological and molecular diagnostic methods for Toxoplasma gondii infection Min-ju Kim, Soeun J. Park, Hyunwoo Park European Journal of Medical Research.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Recombinant AMA1 Virus-like Particle Antigen for Serodiagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection Min-Ju Kim, Ki-Back Chu, Jie Mao, Hae-Ji Kang, Gi-Deok Eom, Keon-Woong Yoon, Su-Hwa Lee, Eun-Kyung Moon, Young-Ha Lee, Fu-Shi Quan Biomedicines.2022; 10(11): 2812. CrossRef
First
Prev
