From Cat Litter to Cure: How a Parasite Could Revolutionize Medicine

Could the secret to curing brain diseases be lurking in your cat's litter box?

Researchers are turning to Toxoplasma gondii, a cat parasite known for altering mice's behavior, to smuggle therapeutic proteins into the brain.

This innovative approach leverages the parasite's natural ability to navigate the blood-brain barrier, delivering treatments for conditions like Rett syndrome. By engineering T. gondii to carry specific proteins, scientists have successfully demonstrated its potential in lab mice, showing significant protein release in critical brain regions.

While this method holds promise for overcoming current delivery challenges in brain therapies, it also raises questions about safety and future applications. Is harnessing a parasite the key to unlocking new medical frontiers?

Read the full article on Singularity Hub.

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