Temporal RNA-seq analysis reveals previously uncharacterized B cell infiltration during late chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis
- 1Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- 2Precisium AI, Solna, Sweden
Abstract
Chronic toxoplasmosis begins when tachyzoites cross the blood–brain barrier and enter the Central Nervous System (CNS). There, they differentiate into bradyzoites, which persist in tissue cysts. Here, we investigate changes in host gene expression in the mouse brain by RNA sequencing at different time points during chronic toxoplasmosis. We show a conserved gene expression pattern caused by the infection, primarily associated with cytotoxic immune responses against the parasite and neuronal degeneration, regardless of the time point. Surprisingly, we observed that genes associated with B cell function continuously increased over time, whilst cytotoxic responses decreased. Immunoglobulin gene expression and IgA staining showed that B cells were absent from healthy brains. Following infection, they accumulated near penetrating vessels and infiltrated the brain parenchyma. Additionally, these plasma cells produced T. gondii-specific IgA. Our results show a previously unrecognized expansion of brain B cells in late chronic toxoplasmosis.
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BibTeX
@article{targino2026temporal,
title = {{Temporal RNA-seq analysis reveals previously uncharacterized B cell infiltration during late chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis}},
author = {Gabriel Targino and Iasmin Aparecida Cunha Araújo and Anna Laura de Jesus Gomes and Duarte Eduardo Pereira and Valdemir Moreira and Paulo Czarnewski and Neide Maria Silva},
journal = {Frontiers in Immunology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885764},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885764},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Temporal RNA-seq analysis reveals previously uncharacterized B cell infiltration during late chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis
AU - Gabriel Targino
AU - Iasmin Aparecida Cunha Araújo
AU - Anna Laura de Jesus Gomes
AU - Duarte Eduardo Pereira
AU - Valdemir Moreira
AU - Paulo Czarnewski
AU - Neide Maria Silva
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - Frontiers in Immunology
DO - 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885764
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885764
AB - Chronic toxoplasmosis begins when tachyzoites cross the blood–brain barrier and enter the Central Nervous System (CNS). There, they differentiate into bradyzoites, which persist in tissue cysts. Here, we investigate changes in host gene expression in the mouse brain by RNA sequencing at different time points during chronic toxoplasmosis. We show a conserved gene expression pattern caused by the infection, primarily associated with cytotoxic immune responses against the parasite and neuronal degeneration, regardless of the time point. Surprisingly, we observed that genes associated with B cell function continuously increased over time, whilst cytotoxic responses decreased. Immunoglobulin gene expression and IgA staining showed that B cells were absent from healthy brains. Following infection, they accumulated near penetrating vessels and infiltrated the brain parenchyma. Additionally, these plasma cells produced T. gondii-specific IgA. Our results show a previously unrecognized expansion of brain B cells in late chronic toxoplasmosis.
SN - 1664-3224
ER -