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Study · Measured the body's own peptide · 2013

1 result

Toxoplasma gondii infection of fibroblasts causes the production of exosome-like vesicles containing a unique array of mRNA and miRNA transcripts compared to serum starvation.

Pope SM, Lässer C

Journal of extracellular vesicles11 Dec 2013Cited by 58 (Europe PMC)

PMID24363837 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC3862870 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3402/jev.v2i0.22484 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-24363837
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Summary

BackgroundUntil recently thought to be of little significance unless occurring during pregnancy, Toxoplasma gondii infection of human hosts is now known to play a larger role in mental health and is a growing concern in the health care community. We sought to elucidate a possible mechanism by which Toxoplasma infection may cause some of the behavioural pathology now associated with infection. We hypothesized that exosomes may be playing a role.MethodsWe utilized electron microscopy to detect the presence and size of extracellular vesicles in the supernatants of Toxoplasma-infected human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF). We then utilized microarray analysis to discern mRNA and miRNA content of the vesicles isolated from supernatants of Toxoplasma-infected (Toxo) and serum-starved (SS) HFF.ResultsWe recovered extracellular vesicles with a size consistent with exosomes that we called exosome-like vesicles (ELVs) from the supernatants of SS and Toxo cultures. The mRNA and miRNA content of these ELVs was highly regulated creating specific and unique expression profiles comparing Toxo ELVs, SS ELVs and RNA isolated from whole cell homogenates. Interestingly, among the most enriched mRNA isolated from ELVs of Toxo cells are 4 specific mRNA species that have been described in the literature as having neurologic activity: Rab-13, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1, thymosin beta 4 and LLP homolog. In addition, miRNA species uniquely expressed in Toxo ELVs include miR-23b, a well-known regulator of IL-17.ConclusionWhile the production of ELVs containing mRNAs that modify behaviour are consistent with reported Toxoplasma pathology, the mechanism of enrichment and ultimate in vivo effect of these mRNA and miRNA containing ELVs remains to be investigated.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study1

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured1

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

  1. 01LabEndogenous levelIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    Thymosin beta‑4 mRNA was among the most enriched mRNAs in exosome-like vesicles from Toxoplasma-infected human fibroblasts.

    In plain wordsIn cells, vesicles from Toxoplasma-infected human cells were rich in mRNA for the body's own thymosin beta‑4.

    Peptide
    Thymosin beta-4 (human)
    Outcome
    IncreaseTβ4 mRNA in vesicles from Toxoplasma-infected cells
    Study

    humann: not reported in source

    exosome-like vesicles from Toxoplasma-infected human foreskin fibroblasts
    Outcome group
    Infection and antimicrobial activity · Infection

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Interestingly, among the most enriched mRNA isolated from ELVs of Toxo cells are 4 specific mRNA species that have been described in the literature as having neurologic activity: Rab-13, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1, thymosin beta 4 and LLP homolog.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    We then utilized microarray analysis to discern mRNA and miRNA content of the vesicles isolated from supernatants of Toxoplasma-infected (Toxo) and serum-starved (SS) HFF.

    This result measures the body's own Thymosin beta-4 (human). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    13 Oct 2026, 01:52 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    12 Oct 2026, 18:17 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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