[Zoey]

Maybe there is a role for cod liver oil in treating toxoplasmosis. The first study below shows how CD8+ T cells can be mobilized to erradicate the "latent" brain cysts so pervasive in toxoplasmosis . The second  article focuses on the role of vitamins A  and D in the body's immune response. Perhaps everyone who develops seizures or symptoms labeled 'schizophrenic' should be tested for toxoplasmosis and for deficiences of vitamins A and D. 




Am J Pathol. 2010 Apr;176(4):1607-13. Epub 2010 Feb 18.
Removal of Toxoplasma gondii cysts from the brain by perforin-mediated activity of CD8+ T cells.
Suzuki Y, Wang X, Jortner BS, Payne L, Ni Y, Michie SA, Xu B, Kudo T, Perkins S.
Source
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA. yasu.suzuki@uky.edu

Abstract
Chronic infection with Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most common parasitic infections in humans. Formation of tissue cysts is the basis of persistence of the parasite in infected hosts, and this cyst stage has generally been regarded as untouchable. Here we provide the first evidence that the immune system can eliminate T. gondii cysts from the brains of infected hosts when immune T cells are transferred into infected immunodeficient animals that have already developed large numbers of cysts. This T cell-mediated immune process was associated with accumulation of microglia and macrophages around tissue cysts. CD8(+) immune T cells possess a potent activity to remove the cysts. The initiation of this process by CD8(+) T cells does not require their production of interferon-gamma, the major mediator to prevent proliferation of tachyzoites during acute infection, but does require perforin. These results suggest that CD8(+) T cells induce elimination of T. gondii cysts through their perforin-mediated cytotoxic activity. Our findings provide a new mechanism of the immune system to fight against chronic infection with T. gondii and suggest a possibility of developing a novel vaccine to eliminate cysts from patients with chronic infection and to prevent the establishment of chronic infection after a newly acquired infection.

PMID:
20167872
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC2843452
Free PMC Article

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20167872


Nat Rev Immunol. 2008 Sep;8(9):685-98.
Vitamin effects on the immune system: vitamins A and D take centre stage.
Mora JR, Iwata M, von Andrian UH.
Source
Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. j_rodrigo_mora@harvard.hms.edu

Abstract
Vitamins are essential constituents of our diet that have long been known to influence the immune system. Vitamins A and D have received particular attention in recent years as these vitamins have been shown to have an unexpected and crucial effect on the immune response. We present and discuss our current understanding of the essential roles of vitamins in modulating a broad range of immune processes, such as lymphocyte activation and proliferation, T-helper-cell differentiation, tissue-specific lymphocyte homing, the production of specific antibody isotypes and regulation of the immune response. Finally, we discuss the clinical potential of vitamin A and D metabolites for modulating tissue-specific immune responses and for preventing and/or treating inflammation and autoimmunity.

PMID:
19172691
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC2906676
Free PMC Article


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2906676/?tool=pmcentrez