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Latent Toxoplasma gondii infections are associated with elevated biomarkers of inflammation and vascular injury
Citation:
Egorov, A., R. Converse, S. Griffin, J. Styles, E. Sams, E. Hudgens, AND Tim Wade. Latent Toxoplasma gondii infections are associated with elevated biomarkers of inflammation and vascular injury. BMC Infectious Diseases. BioMed Central Ltd, London, Uk, 21:188, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-05882-6
Impact/Purpose:
This study conducted by CPHEA researchers involved almost 700 residents of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan area who were examined at the EPA Humans Studies Facility in Chapel Hill. Serum samples were analyzed for IgG antibody responses to Toxoplasma gondii and to four biomarkers of inflammation and vascular injury. The results show that latent T. gondii infections were associated with elevated levels of three biomarkers of inflammation and vascular injury: VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and CRP. The association with VCAM-1 was demonstrated for the first time in our research. The same biomarkers are known to be elevated in schizophrenia patients, and in individuals exposed to ambient air pollution. Previous research also demonstrated that hospital admissions for schizophrenia and psychosis increase after episodes of air pollution. The results of this study suggest a potential pathway linking infection-related chronic inflammation to adverse psychiatric outcomes, and to increased susceptibility to detrimental health effects of air pollution.
Description:
Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite of cats that infects other warm-blooded animals including humans as intermediate hosts. It forms infectious cysts in the brain, muscle and other tissues establishing life-long latent infection. Approximately 10% of the US population is infected. While latent infections are largely asymptomatic, they are associated with neurological deficits and elevated risks of neuropsychiatric diseases. Methods: This cross-sectional epidemiological study investigated associations of T. gondii infections with biomarkers of inflammation and vascular injury: soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum amyloid A (SAA). Serum samples from 694 adults in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina metropolitan area were tested for IgG antibody response to T. gondii, and for the above biomarkers using commercially available assays. Results: T. gondii seroprevalence rate in this sample was 9.7%. Seropositivity was significantly associated with 11% (4%, 20%), 9% (1%, 17%), and 36% (1%, 83%) greater median levels of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and CRP, respectively after adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioral covariates, while the 23% (-7%, 64%) adjusted effect on SAA was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Latent infections with T. gondii are associated with elevated biomarkers of chronic inflammation and vascular injury that are also known to be affected by ambient air pollution. Therefore, infections may increase susceptibility to environmental hazards.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Latent Toxoplasma gondii infections are associated with elevated biomarkers of inflammation and vascular injury