Structural Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Brain Cysts in a Model of Reactivated Toxoplasmosis Using Computational Image Analysis
Аутори
Bauman, NedaSrbljanović, Jelena
Čolović Čalovski, Ivana
Lijeskić, Olivera
Ćirković, Vladimir
Trajković, Jelena
Bobić, Branko
Ilić, Andjelija Ž
Štajner, Tijana
Чланак у часопису (Објављена верзија)
Метаподаци
Приказ свих података о документуАпстракт
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite existing in three infectious life stages—tachyzoites, bradyzoites, and sporozoites. Rupture of tissue cysts and re-conversion of bradyzoites to tachyzoites leads to reactivated toxoplasmosis (RT) in an immunocompromised host. The aim of this study was to apply ImageJ software for analysis of T. gondii brain cysts obtained from a newly established in vivo model of RT. Mice chronically infected with T. gondii (BGD1 and BGD26 strains) were treated with cyclophosphamide and hydrocortisone (experimental group—EG) or left untreated as infection controls (ICs). RT in mice was confirmed by qPCR (PCR+); mice remaining chronically infected were PCR−. A total of 90 images of cysts were analyzed for fractal dimension (FD), lacunarity (L), diameter (D), circularity (C), and packing density (PD). Circularity was significantly higher in PCR+ compared to IC mice (p < 0.05 for BGD1, p < 0.001 for the BGD26 strain). A significant negative correlati...on between D and PD was observed only in IC for the BGD1 strain (ρ = −0.384, p = 0.048), while fractal parameters were stable. Significantly higher D, C, and PD and lower lacunarity, L, were noticed in the BGD1 compared to the more aggressive BGD26 strain. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the complexity of structural alterations of T. gondii cysts in an immunocompromised host and emphasize the application potential of ImageJ in the experimental models of toxoplasmosis.
Кључне речи:
Toxoplasma gondii / reactivated toxoplasmosis / brain cysts / computational image analysisИзвор:
Fractal and Fractional, 2024, 8, 3, 175-Издавач:
- Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Финансирање / пројекти:
- ToxoReTREAT - Reinvention of the diagnostic algorithm and treatment options for reactivated toxoplasmosis (RS-ScienceFundRS-Prizma2023_BM-7328)
- Министарство науке, технолошког развоја и иновација Републике Србије, институционално финансирање - 200015 (Универзитет у Београду, Институт за медицинска истраживања) (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200015)
Институција/група
Institut za medicinska istraživanjaTY - JOUR AU - Bauman, Neda AU - Srbljanović, Jelena AU - Čolović Čalovski, Ivana AU - Lijeskić, Olivera AU - Ćirković, Vladimir AU - Trajković, Jelena AU - Bobić, Branko AU - Ilić, Andjelija Ž AU - Štajner, Tijana PY - 2024 UR - http://rimi.imi.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1473 AB - Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite existing in three infectious life stages—tachyzoites, bradyzoites, and sporozoites. Rupture of tissue cysts and re-conversion of bradyzoites to tachyzoites leads to reactivated toxoplasmosis (RT) in an immunocompromised host. The aim of this study was to apply ImageJ software for analysis of T. gondii brain cysts obtained from a newly established in vivo model of RT. Mice chronically infected with T. gondii (BGD1 and BGD26 strains) were treated with cyclophosphamide and hydrocortisone (experimental group—EG) or left untreated as infection controls (ICs). RT in mice was confirmed by qPCR (PCR+); mice remaining chronically infected were PCR−. A total of 90 images of cysts were analyzed for fractal dimension (FD), lacunarity (L), diameter (D), circularity (C), and packing density (PD). Circularity was significantly higher in PCR+ compared to IC mice (p < 0.05 for BGD1, p < 0.001 for the BGD26 strain). A significant negative correlation between D and PD was observed only in IC for the BGD1 strain (ρ = −0.384, p = 0.048), while fractal parameters were stable. Significantly higher D, C, and PD and lower lacunarity, L, were noticed in the BGD1 compared to the more aggressive BGD26 strain. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the complexity of structural alterations of T. gondii cysts in an immunocompromised host and emphasize the application potential of ImageJ in the experimental models of toxoplasmosis. PB - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) T2 - Fractal and Fractional T2 - Fractal and Fractional T1 - Structural Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Brain Cysts in a Model of Reactivated Toxoplasmosis Using Computational Image Analysis IS - 3 SP - 175 VL - 8 DO - 10.3390/fractalfract8030175 ER -
@article{ author = "Bauman, Neda and Srbljanović, Jelena and Čolović Čalovski, Ivana and Lijeskić, Olivera and Ćirković, Vladimir and Trajković, Jelena and Bobić, Branko and Ilić, Andjelija Ž and Štajner, Tijana", year = "2024", abstract = "Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite existing in three infectious life stages—tachyzoites, bradyzoites, and sporozoites. Rupture of tissue cysts and re-conversion of bradyzoites to tachyzoites leads to reactivated toxoplasmosis (RT) in an immunocompromised host. The aim of this study was to apply ImageJ software for analysis of T. gondii brain cysts obtained from a newly established in vivo model of RT. Mice chronically infected with T. gondii (BGD1 and BGD26 strains) were treated with cyclophosphamide and hydrocortisone (experimental group—EG) or left untreated as infection controls (ICs). RT in mice was confirmed by qPCR (PCR+); mice remaining chronically infected were PCR−. A total of 90 images of cysts were analyzed for fractal dimension (FD), lacunarity (L), diameter (D), circularity (C), and packing density (PD). Circularity was significantly higher in PCR+ compared to IC mice (p < 0.05 for BGD1, p < 0.001 for the BGD26 strain). A significant negative correlation between D and PD was observed only in IC for the BGD1 strain (ρ = −0.384, p = 0.048), while fractal parameters were stable. Significantly higher D, C, and PD and lower lacunarity, L, were noticed in the BGD1 compared to the more aggressive BGD26 strain. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the complexity of structural alterations of T. gondii cysts in an immunocompromised host and emphasize the application potential of ImageJ in the experimental models of toxoplasmosis.", publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)", journal = "Fractal and Fractional, Fractal and Fractional", title = "Structural Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Brain Cysts in a Model of Reactivated Toxoplasmosis Using Computational Image Analysis", number = "3", pages = "175", volume = "8", doi = "10.3390/fractalfract8030175" }
Bauman, N., Srbljanović, J., Čolović Čalovski, I., Lijeskić, O., Ćirković, V., Trajković, J., Bobić, B., Ilić, A. Ž.,& Štajner, T.. (2024). Structural Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Brain Cysts in a Model of Reactivated Toxoplasmosis Using Computational Image Analysis. in Fractal and Fractional Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)., 8(3), 175. https://doi.org/10.3390/fractalfract8030175
Bauman N, Srbljanović J, Čolović Čalovski I, Lijeskić O, Ćirković V, Trajković J, Bobić B, Ilić AŽ, Štajner T. Structural Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Brain Cysts in a Model of Reactivated Toxoplasmosis Using Computational Image Analysis. in Fractal and Fractional. 2024;8(3):175. doi:10.3390/fractalfract8030175 .
Bauman, Neda, Srbljanović, Jelena, Čolović Čalovski, Ivana, Lijeskić, Olivera, Ćirković, Vladimir, Trajković, Jelena, Bobić, Branko, Ilić, Andjelija Ž, Štajner, Tijana, "Structural Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Brain Cysts in a Model of Reactivated Toxoplasmosis Using Computational Image Analysis" in Fractal and Fractional, 8, no. 3 (2024):175, https://doi.org/10.3390/fractalfract8030175 . .