AUTHOR=Wu Minmin , Cudjoe Obed , Shen Jilong , Chen Ying , Du Jian 

TITLE=The Host Autophagy During Toxoplasma Infection

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.589604

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2020.589604

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Autophagy is an important homeostatic mechanism, in which lysosomes degrade and recycle cytosolic components. As a key defense mechanism against infections, autophagy is involved in the capture and elimination of intracellular parasites. However, intracellular parasites, such as <italic>Toxoplasma gondii</italic>, have developed several evasion mechanisms to manipulate the host cell autophagy for their growth and establish a chronic infection. This review provides an insight into the autophagy mechanism used by the host cells in the control of <italic>T. gondii</italic> and the host exploitation by the parasite. First, we summarize the mechanism of autophagy, xenophagy, and LC3-associated phagocytosis. Then, we illustrate the process of autophagy proteins-mediated <italic>T. gondii</italic> clearance. Furthermore, we discuss how the parasite blocks and exploits this process for its survival.</p>