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Toxoplasma gondii as a drug for anti-tumor immunotherapy: mechanisms, challenges, and perspectives
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DOI：10.1051/parasite/2026006.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite known to infect a wide range of hosts, including humans, and is a significant cause of health issues, particularly in pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. However, it has garnered attention for its potential in cancer treatment due to its diverse anti-cancer mechanisms. Toxoplasma gondii induces key cytokines such as IL-12 and IFN-gamma, triggering robust Th1 immune responses that effectively target tumor cells. Furthermore, it modulates the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), reduces inhibitory immune cells, promotes activated immune cells, induces apoptosis in tumor cells, inhibits proliferation, and disrupts tumor angiogenesis through regulatory signaling pathways. Despite these promising antitumor attributes, significant limitations hinder its translation into clinical practice. These include strain-dependent differences in virulence and therapeutic efficacy, ethical and biosafety concerns associated with wild-type strains, limited applicability of animal data to human therapy, and the possibility that the parasite may promote tumorigenesis under certain conditions. Innovative approaches such as engineered strains for precise tumor targeting, exploitation of its bioactive agents, use as a drug carrier for brain tumors, and combination therapies with other anti-cancer modalities show promise. These advances, coupled with comprehensive cost-effectiveness assessments, present new opportunities and hope for integrating T. gondii into cancer therapy. Toxoplasma gondii est un protozoaire parasite intracellulaire connu pour infecter un large & eacute;ventail d'h & ocirc;tes, y compris l'homme, et constitue une cause importante de probl & egrave;mes de sant & eacute;, notamment chez les femmes enceintes et les personnes immunod & eacute;prim & eacute;es. Cependant, son potentiel dans le traitement du cancer, gr & acirc;ce & agrave; ses divers m & eacute;canismes d'action anticanc & eacute;reux, suscite un int & eacute;r & ecirc;t croissant. Toxoplasma gondii induit la production de cytokines cl & eacute;s telles que l'IL-12 et l'IFN-gamma, d & eacute;clenchant de fortes r & eacute;ponses immunitaires Th1 qui ciblent efficacement les cellules tumorales. De plus, il module le microenvironnement tumoral immunosuppresseur (TME), r & eacute;duit le nombre de cellules immunitaires inhibitrices, favorise l'activation des cellules immunitaires, induit l'apoptose des cellules tumorales, inhibe la prolif & eacute;ration et perturbe l'angiogen & egrave;se tumorale par le biais de voies de signalisation r & eacute;gulatrices. Malgr & eacute; ces propri & eacute;t & eacute;s antitumorales prometteuses, d'importantes limitations entravent son application clinique. Ces difficult & eacute;s incluent des diff & eacute;rences de virulence et d'efficacit & eacute; th & eacute;rapeutique selon les souches, des pr & eacute;occupations & eacute;thiques et de bios & eacute;curit & eacute; li & eacute;es aux souches sauvages, une applicabilit & eacute; limit & eacute;e des donn & eacute;es animales & agrave; la th & eacute;rapie humaine et la possibilit & eacute; que le parasite favorise la tumorig & eacute;n & egrave;se dans certaines conditions. Des approches innovantes, telles que des souches modifi & eacute;es pour un ciblage tumoral pr & eacute;cis, l'exploitation de ses agents bioactifs, son utilisation comme vecteur de m & eacute;dicaments pour les tumeurs c & eacute;r & eacute;brales et les th & eacute;rapies combin & eacute;es avec d'autres modalit & eacute;s anticanc & eacute;reuses, sont prometteuses. Ces avanc & eacute;es, associ & eacute;es & agrave; des & eacute;valuations compl & egrave;tes du rapport co & ucirc;t-efficacit & eacute;, offrent de nouvelles perspectives et un espoir pour l'int & eacute;gration de T. gondii dans le traitement du cancer.
Keywords:
Toxoplasma gondii
Anti-tumor
Immunity
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