{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]],"date-time":"2026-07-03T01:05:51Z","timestamp":1783040751942,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,25]],"date-time":"2022-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1645747200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100004440","name":"Wellcome Trust","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["CVRT Vacation Award"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CVRT Vacation Award"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100004440","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cells"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an opportunistic protozoan that can cause brain infection and other serious health consequences in immuno-compromised individuals. This parasite has a remarkable ability to cross biological barriers and exploit the host cell microenvironment to support its own survival and growth. Recent advances in label-free spectroscopic imaging techniques have made it possible to study biological systems at a high spatial resolution. In this study, we used conventional Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and synchrotron-based FTIR microspectroscopy to analyze the chemical changes that are associated with infection of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) by T. gondii (RH) tachyzoites. Both FTIR microspectroscopic methods showed utility in revealing the chemical alterations in the infected hBMECs. Using a ZnS hemisphere device, to increase the numerical aperture, and the synchrotron source to increase the brightness, we obtained spatially resolved spectra from within a single cell. The spectra extracted from the nucleus and cytosol containing the tachyzoites were clearly distinguished. RNA sequencing analysis of T. gondii-infected and uninfected hBMECs revealed significant changes in the expression of host cell genes and pathways in response to T. gondii infection. These FTIR spectroscopic and transcriptomic findings provide significant insight into the molecular changes that occur in hBMECs during T. gondii infection.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cells11050811","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,27]],"date-time":"2022-02-27T20:46:17Z","timestamp":1645994777000},"page":"811","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Illuminating Host-Parasite Interaction at the Cellular and Subcellular Levels with Infrared Microspectroscopy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3303-930X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hany M.","family":"Elsheikha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK"},{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Li\u00e8ge, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alaa T.","family":"Al-Sandaqchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK"},{"name":"School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3067-4132","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammad S. R.","family":"Harun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Science, Advanced Medical & Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang 13200, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"Winterton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6491-6611","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ali","family":"Altharawi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King\u2019s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nashwa A.","family":"Elsaied","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carl W.","family":"Stevenson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"William","family":"MacNaughtan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"John G. 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