A research team led by the University of Toronto has made an exciting discovery: they have identified a new RNA virus called Apocryptovirus odysseus, which seems to connect to the widespread human parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
Along with this significant find, the team uncovered 18 other closely related viruses through a computational analysis of human neuron data.
Their primary aim was to investigate how RNA viruses might relate to neuroinflammatory diseases, particularly indicating that A. odysseus could worsen conditions linked to toxoplasmosis.
Research Insights and Tools
Purav Gupta, the study’s first author and a recent high school graduate currently studying at the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research at U of T, shared insights about how the Serratus platform aided their research.
This open-science tool sifted through over 150,000 RNA viruses, pinpointing A. odysseus within human neurons by detecting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase—a crucial enzyme for the replication of viral RNA that enables the virus to proliferate.
Their findings, recently published in Virus Evolution, shed light on Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that infects roughly one-third of the global population.
It is capable of invading various non-blood cell types, including neurons, where it forms cysts.
Once the host cells are compromised, the parasite can easily spread to nearby cells.
Potential Health Implications
While many T. gondii infections are asymptomatic and go unnoticed by most individuals, Gupta stressed the importance of further research, especially considering the potential risks for pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.
The team proposes that there may be a collaborative dynamic between the newly discovered virus and the T. gondii parasite, suggesting they may work together to cause disease in humans.
Gupta likened this relationship to a soldier hiding inside a Trojan horse, allowing the virus to infiltrate the brain.
Notably, A. odysseus has been found in two particularly aggressive strains of T. gondii known as RUB and COUGAR.
The RUB strain, discovered in French Guinea, is associated with severe fever and organ failure, while COUGAR, identified in British Columbia, is linked to ocular toxoplasmosis, a leading cause of infectious blindness.
The researchers have tracked the prevalence of these strains over time and across different regions, emphasizing their potential to impact public health on a larger scale.
Future Research Directions
Infections of toxoplasmosis may become more severe as a result of an exaggerated immune response triggered by foreign RNA from the virus that the parasite carries.
Artem Babaian, the principal investigator of the study and an assistant professor at the Donnelly Centre as well as the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, expressed that the 19 RNA viruses they have identified could serve as strong biomarker candidates for parasitic infections.
He believes A. odysseus might serve as an important signal for severe cases of toxoplasmosis not just in humans but also in other animals.
The next step for the research team will be to explore whether targeting these viruses can yield effective treatment options for symptoms related to these infections.
Babaian also highlighted the significance of zoonotic viruses—those that can move between species—as key players behind many emerging infectious diseases.
This study underscores the need to examine viruses within the context of the entire virome rather than isolating those that specifically infect humans.
Source: ScienceDaily