iScience (Dec 2024)
Toxoplasma gondii induces MST2 phosphorylation mediating the activation of hippo signaling pathway to promote apoptosis and lung tissue damage
- Kangzhi Xu,
- Shifan Zhu,
- Fan Xu,
- Jin Yang,
- Bin Deng,
- Dingzeyang Su,
- Jing Ma,
- Mingyue Zu,
- Yifan Lin,
- Tianxu Pei,
- Yuyang Zhu,
- Lele Wang,
- Dandan Liu,
- Qiangde Duan,
- Jinjun Xu,
- Zhiming Pan,
- Jianping Tao,
- Zhaofeng Hou
Affiliations
- Kangzhi Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Shifan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Fan Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jin Yang
- Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
- Bin Deng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
- Dingzeyang Su
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jing Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Mingyue Zu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Yifan Lin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Tianxu Pei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Yuyang Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Lele Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Dandan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Qiangde Duan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jinjun Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Zhiming Pan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jianping Tao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; Corresponding author
- Zhaofeng Hou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou 225009, China; Corresponding author
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 27,
no. 12
p. 111312
Abstract
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular parasite, and its regulation of host cell apoptosis directly affects its parasitism. Studies link T. gondii-induced apoptosis to abnormal expression of mammalian STE20-like protein kinase 2 (MST2), but its precise role remains unclear. In this study, the regulatory roles in apoptosis and pathogenicity of T. gondii infection were identified in vitro and in vivo. Simultaneously, MST2 and Hippo signaling pathway activation induced by T. gondii were evaluated. MST2 overexpression and knockout were used to assess its regulatory role in apoptosis and Hippo signaling pathway. Results showed that T. gondii induced apoptosis and lung damage, with Hippo signaling pathway activation via MST2 phosphorylation. MST2 was demonstrated to regulate apoptosis and Hippo signaling pathway. Notably, MST2 knockout hindered the T. gondii-induced apoptosis and weakened Hippo signaling pathway activation. MST2 is an important target for T. gondii to control host cell fate and modulate immune responses.
