Advisor Information
Paul Davis
Location
UNO Criss Library, Room 232
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
3-3-2017 1:15 PM
End Date
3-3-2017 1:30 PM
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an intracellular protozoan that commonly infects people throughout the world. Under immune pressure, parasites can develop into bradyzoite cysts within cells to avoid presentation or processing by the adaptive immune response. These cysts can persist in human tissue for years escaping both drug therapies and the immune system. While these cysts do not pose major health problems for healthy individuals, those who are immunocompromised are at great risk for recurrent acute infections should the cysts rupture.
This study investigated the effects of cell culture medias of varying richness on bradyzoite cyst growth. HFF cells were first infected with the Pruku80 strain of T. gondii and later placed under Compound One stress in either D10, D1, DMEM1, or MEM1 media for cyst growth. Beginning three days post-addition of Compound One, the cysts were observed daily using a fluorescence microscope, and cyst diameters were measured using ImageJ software. It was found that D10, the most nutrient-rich media compared, continually produced cysts with significantly larger average diameters than the less nutrient-rich mediums. The data supports the conclusion that additional nutrients, exceeding the minimum necessary for cyst growth, are beneficial in growing cysts of greater diameters. These results will be useful in preparing larger and more stable cysts in future T. gondii bradyzoite research.
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Optimizing Media Conditions to Enhance Toxoplasma gondii Cyst Growth
UNO Criss Library, Room 232
Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an intracellular protozoan that commonly infects people throughout the world. Under immune pressure, parasites can develop into bradyzoite cysts within cells to avoid presentation or processing by the adaptive immune response. These cysts can persist in human tissue for years escaping both drug therapies and the immune system. While these cysts do not pose major health problems for healthy individuals, those who are immunocompromised are at great risk for recurrent acute infections should the cysts rupture.
This study investigated the effects of cell culture medias of varying richness on bradyzoite cyst growth. HFF cells were first infected with the Pruku80 strain of T. gondii and later placed under Compound One stress in either D10, D1, DMEM1, or MEM1 media for cyst growth. Beginning three days post-addition of Compound One, the cysts were observed daily using a fluorescence microscope, and cyst diameters were measured using ImageJ software. It was found that D10, the most nutrient-rich media compared, continually produced cysts with significantly larger average diameters than the less nutrient-rich mediums. The data supports the conclusion that additional nutrients, exceeding the minimum necessary for cyst growth, are beneficial in growing cysts of greater diameters. These results will be useful in preparing larger and more stable cysts in future T. gondii bradyzoite research.