Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40859392›Full record

ArticleVeterinary research2025

Toxoplasma gondii PPM3H regulates the parasite virulence and modulates host immune and inflammatory responses in mice.

Jun-Jun He, Jun Ma, Meng-Ling Deng, Hany M Elsheikha, Yi-Dan Wang, Yu-Cong Zhang, Feng-Cai Zou, Xing-Quan Zhu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Veterinary research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trem2 negatively regulates the MTOR-PKCα axis to protect againstFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jun-Jun He *The Yunnan Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China. hejunjun617@163.com.
Jun Ma *The Yunnan Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
Meng-Ling DengThe Yunnan Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
Hany M ElsheikhaFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.
Yi-Dan WangThe Yunnan Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
Yu-Cong ZhangThe Yunnan Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
Feng-Cai ZouThe Yunnan Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
Xing-Quan ZhuLaboratory of Parasitic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China. xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2530-4628

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 31902291National Natural Science Foundation of China 32460890the NSFC-Yunnan Joint Fund U2202201the Project of International Science and Technology Commissioners of Yunnan Province 202403AK140020the Yunnan Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology 202449CE340019
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes severe illness in infants infected during pregnancy and in immunocompromised individuals. This parasite manipulates host cells through effector proteins that promote its survival and replication. While the phosphatases in the PP2C family have been shown to regulate host immune responses and contribute to the virulence and pathogenicity of various pathogens, the specific biological functions of PPM3H in T. gondii and its role in host-pathogen interactions remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that knockout of ppm3h significantly reduces the virulence and pathogenicity of T. gondii. In contrast, that high expression of ppm3h in the less virulent PRU induced by replacing the ppm3h gene elements of RH strain can enhance its pathogenicity, indicating a direct contribution of PPM3H to virulence in expression-independent manner. Furthermore, PPM3H significantly influenced host gene expression, with differentially expressed genes predominantly enriched in immune and inflammatory pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified host immune genes, including chemokines such as Cx3cl1 and Ccl22, as co-expressed with ppm3h. Also, ppm3h co-expressed with T. gondii rhoptry genes including rop18, a well-known virulence factor, suggesting a role for PPM3H in coordinating host-pathogen interactions. Our findings establish that PPM3H enhances T. gondii virulence by modulating the host immune and inflammatory responses. PPM3H does not impact parasite gene expression, invasion or replication in vitro, supporting its role as an immune modulator rather than a general fitness factor. This suggests that T. gondii's pathogenicity arises not only from immune evasion but also from the active induction of host immune and inflammatory responses mediated by PPM3H.

Indexed as

Protozoan ProteinsToxoplasmaToxoplasmosis, AnimalAnimalsFemaleHost-Parasite InteractionsInflammationMiceMice, Inbred C57BLVirulenceProtozoan Proteinshost–pathogen interactionparasite effector proteinsPP2C phosphatasesPPM3HToxoplasma gondiivirulence

Identifiers

PMID40859392
PMCPMC12379425

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.