Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rakhee Lohia, Benoit Allegrini, Laurence Berry, Helene Guizouarn, Rachel Cerdan, Manouk Abkarian, Dominique Douguet, Eric Honore, Kai Wengelnik
Summary: A gain-of-function variant (E756del) in the PIEZO1 channel prevents severe malaria. Activation of PIEZO1 by Yoda1 and Jedi2 inhibitors induces echinocytosis and dehydration of red blood cells, inhibiting invasion by Plasmodium falciparum.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ladawan Khowawisetsut, Sinmanus Vimonpatranon, Kittima Lekmanee, Hathai Sawasdipokin, Narinee Srimark, Kesinee Chotivanich, Kovit Pattanapanyasat
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the physical characteristics of EVs derived from culture-adapted P. falciparum isolates (Pf-EVs) and their impact on monocyte polarization. The results showed that all P. falciparum strains released similar amounts of EVs with variation in size characteristics. Pf-EVs had a more pronounced effect on CD14(+)CD16(+) intermediate monocytes, but miR in Pf-EVs might not be a significant factor in driving M2-like monocyte polarization.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Emily R. Ebel, Frans A. Kuypers, Carrie Lin, Dmitri A. Petrov, Elizabeth S. Egan
Summary: The study on 121 healthy donors of African ancestry found that various genes and phenotypes related to red blood cell variation were closely associated with the adaptability of Plasmodium falciparum within red blood cells, indicating globally widespread variations play a role in modulating parasite fitness.
Article
Immunology
Gladys J. Keitany, Bethany J. Jenkins, Harold T. Obiakor, Shaji Daniel, Atis Muehlenbachs, Jean-Philippe Semblat, Benoit Gamain, Justin Y. A. Doritchamou, Sanjay A. Desai, Nicholas J. MacDonald, David L. Narum, Robert Morrison, Tracy Saveria, Marissa Vignali, Andrew Oleinikov, Michal Fried, Patrick E. Duffy
Summary: This study characterizes an invariant protein associated with placental malaria (PM), PfCSA-L, which binds both VAR2CSA and placental CSA with high affinity. Unlike VAR2CSA, PfCSA-L is peripherally associated with the outer surface of knobs through protein-protein interactions with VAR2CSA. The findings suggest that sequestration of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) involves complexes of invariant and variant surface proteins, allowing parasites to maintain diversity and function on the iRBC surface.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fatou Joof, Morgan M. Goheen, Carla Cerami
Summary: The study investigated whether host anemia could affect the activity of artemisinin, and found that it does not. There was no correlation between host hemoglobin levels and artemisinin activity or drug sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum. Standard antimalarial drug activity assays also showed no differences in IC50 values between anemic and nonanemic red blood cells.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sinmanus Vimonpatranon, Sittiruk Roytrakul, Narumon Phaonakrop, Kittima Lekmanee, Anyapat Atipimonpat, Narinee Srimark, Kasama Sukapirom, Kesinee Chotivanich, Ladawan Khowawisetsut, Kovit Pattanapanyasat
Summary: In infectious diseases, EVs released from pathogen-infected cells can regulate immune responses and carry specific human proteins, while most pathogen proteins in the EVs are common across different types. Pf-MVs were found to attenuate parasite invasion efficiency, with a greater effect in culture-adapted isolates. This suggests that Pf-EVs play a role in quorum sensing and regulation of parasite growth-density.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Melissa D. Conrad, Victor Asua, Shreeya Garg, David Giesbrecht, Karamoko Niare, Sawyer Smith, Jane F. Namuganga, Thomas Katairo, Jennifer Legac, Rebecca M. Crudale, Patrick K. Tumwebaze, Samuel L. Nsobya, Roland A. Cooper, Moses R. Kamya, Grant Dorsey, Jeffrey A. Bailey, Philip J. Rosenthal
Summary: This study identified multifocal emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum with partial resistance to artemisinins in Uganda. The emergence and spread of resistance were predominantly observed in areas where effective malaria control had been discontinued or transmission was unstable.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Merryn Fraser, Kai Matuschewski, Alexander G. Maier
Summary: Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites, remains a major global health issue infecting over 200 million people annually. Infection with the deadliest parasite species, Plasmodium falciparum, may disrupt the asymmetry of red blood cell membranes, impacting immune system interactions.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brendan Fries, Carlos A. Guerra, Guillermo A. Garcia, Sean L. Wu, Jordan M. Smith, Jeremias Nzamio Mba Oyono, Olivier T. Donfack, Jose Osa Osa Nfumu, Simon Hay, David L. Smith, Andrew J. Dolgert
Summary: Different population layers performed differently in matching the gold standard distribution at different population densities. Choosing the appropriate population map has a significant impact on burden estimates in a malaria model.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juliane Sassmannshausen, Sandra Bennink, Ute Distler, Juliane Kuechenhoff, Allen M. M. Minns, Scott E. E. Lindner, Paul-Christian Burda, Stefan Tenzer, Tim W. W. Gilberger, Gabriele Pradel
Summary: Transmission of malaria parasites to the mosquito is mediated by sexual precursor cells called gametocytes. These gametocytes undergo egress from the enveloping erythrocyte in the mosquito midgut, and egress is facilitated by the release of two types of vesicles - osmiophilic bodies (OBs) and P-EVs (perforin-like protein 2-containing vesicles). The OBs are responsible for rupturing the membrane of the parasitophorous vacuole (PV), while the P-EVs are involved in erythrocyte lysis. This study provides insight into the complex molecular machinery involved in the egress process of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Michaela Raacke, Amy Kerr, Michael Doerpinghaus, Jana Brehmer, Yifan Wu, Stephan Lorenzen, Christine Fink, Thomas Jacobs, Thomas Roeder, Julie Sellau, Anna Bachmann, Nahla Galal Metwally, Iris Bruchhaus
Summary: Infections with Plasmodium falciparum lead to a strong immunological response in the human host, with over 30 cytokines detected in elevated levels. Endothelial cells (ECs) may play a role in cytokine secretion, and plasma from malaria patients can affect the gene expression and biological processes of ECs.
Article
Hematology
Steven Kho, Nurjati C. Siregar, Labibah Qotrunnada, Aurelie Fricot, Abdoulaye Sissoko, Putu A. I. Shanti, Freis Candrawati, Noy N. Kambuaya, Hasrini Rini, Benediktus Andries, David Hardy, Nur I. Margyaningsih, Fauziyah Fadllan, Desandra A. Rahmayenti, Agatha M. Puspitasari, Leo Leonardo, Bagus T. G. Yayang, Dewi S. Margayani, Pak Prayoga, Leily Trianty, Enny Kenangalem, Ric N. Price, Tsin W. Yeo, Gabriela Minigo, Rintis Noviyanti, Jeanne R. Poespoprodjo, Nicholas M. Anstey, Pierre A. Buffet
Summary: Splenomegaly in malaria patients is associated with retention of uninfected red blood cells in the spleen, which is the major mechanism of anemia.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Theresa Reiker, Monica Golumbeanu, Andrew Shattock, Lydia Burgert, Thomas A. Smith, Sarah Filippi, Ewan Cameron, Melissa A. Penny
Summary: Individual-based models are essential in the global fight against infectious diseases, but the complexity of the models can pose challenges for calibration. The authors propose using a Bayesian optimization framework to calibrate a complex malaria transmission simulator, resulting in improved fitting outcomes compared to previous calibrations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Meinan Lyu, Chih-Chia Su, James W. Kazura, Edward W. Yu
Summary: The intra-erythrocyte stage of P. falciparum relies on glycolysis to generate energy, with potential toxicity from lactic acid as a metabolic byproduct. The membrane protein PfFNT acts as a transporter for lactate, providing a mechanism for exporting these acids from the parasite.
Article
Cell Biology
James A. Watson, Sophie Uyoga, Perpetual Wanjiku, Johnstone Makale, Gideon M. Nyutu, Neema Mturi, Elizabeth C. George, Charles J. Woodrow, Nicholas P. J. Day, Philip Bejon, Robert O. Opoka, Arjen M. Dondorp, Chandy C. John, Kathryn Maitland, Thomas N. Williams, Nicholas J. White
Summary: Severe malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is difficult to accurately diagnose in children in high-transmission settings. A combination of platelet count and plasma PfHRP2 concentration can be used to identify severe falciparum malaria in severely ill patients. About one-third of children enrolled in clinical studies of severe malaria in high-transmission settings in Africa had other causes of their severe illness.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)