Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Aleena Das, Welka Sahu, Deepak Kumar Ojha, K. Sony Reddy, Mrutyunjay Suar
Summary: An untargeted metabolomics approach was used to identify the changes in metabolic pathways and metabolites in the serum of mice with different pathological stages of malaria. The study provides insights into the host biology during malaria and could be helpful for the selection of animal models for evaluating diagnostic and therapeutic interventions against malaria.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Flaviane Vieira-Santos, Thais Leal-Silva, Luiza de Lima Silva Padrao, Ana Cristina Loiola Ruas, Denise Silva Nogueira, Lucas Kraemer, Fabricio Marcus Silva Oliveira, Marcelo Vidigal Caliari, Remo Castro Russo, Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Lilian Lacerda Bueno
Summary: The study found that coinfection of Plasmodium and Ascaris can lead to immune response downregulation in the host, affecting the Ascaris-specific immune response, and causing early death in affected animals.
Article
Microbiology
Luis Antonio Cervantes-Candelas, Jesus Aguilar-Castro, Fidel Orlando Buendia-Gonzalez, Omar Fernandez-Rivera, Armando Cervantes-Sandoval, Jorge Morales-Montor, Martha Legorreta-Herrera
Summary: This study found that tamoxifen increased parasite load, worsened symptoms, and exacerbated anemia in malaria-infected mice. Tamoxifen also had immunomodulatory effects, increasing certain immune cell populations while decreasing others, as well as reducing levels of certain cytokines. This suggests caution when using tamoxifen in malaria-infected individuals, particularly women with breast cancer.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laughing Bear Torrez Dulgeroff, Miranda S. Oakley, Michal C. Tal, Ying Ying Yiu, Joy Q. He, Maia Shoham, Victoria Majam, Winter A. Okoth, Pallavi Malla, Sanjai Kumar, Irving L. Weissman
Summary: CD47 is an antiphagocytic signal that inhibits programmed cell removal of self. Blocking CD47 can significantly improve the therapeutic effect against malaria infection.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Aditya Anand, Manjunatha Chandana, Sourav Ghosh, Rahul Das, Nalini Singh, Pradeep Mini Vaishalli, Nagavara Prasad Gantasala, Govindarajan Padmanaban, Viswanathan Arun Nagaraj
Summary: Food vacuoles of the malaria parasite play a central role in the degradation of red blood cell hemoglobin and detoxification of heme. The deletion of amino acid transporter 1 in Plasmodium berghei leads to swollen food vacuoles, reduced hemozoin production, and resistance to antimalarials. Mice infected with transporter-deleted parasites are protected from cerebral malaria and show delayed transmission.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Shaoqin Zheng, Yuan Liang, Zhaojia Wang, Min Liu, Yingyi Chen, Ying Ai, Wenfeng Guo, Guoming Li, Yueming Yuan, Zhiyong Xu, Wanting Wu, Xinan Huang, Zhibing Wu, Qin Xu, Jianping Song, Changsheng Deng
Summary: Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are first-line antimalarial drugs. However, the emergence of resistance to ACTs in Plasmodium falciparum is a concern. This study successfully produced artemisinin-and piperaquine-resistant P. berghei K173 strains and explored the relationship between PfK13 and artemisinin resistance through DNA sequencing.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Charlotte Hobbs, Tejram Sahu, Jillian Neal, Solomon Conteh, Tatiana Voza, William Borkowsky, Jean Langhorne, Patrick E. Duffy
Summary: This study found that antibody-mediated immune responses contribute to protective immunity induced by TMPSMX in models of homologous, but not heterologous, parasite species, highlighting the importance of considering potential anti-Plasmodium antibodies induced during TMP-SMX prophylaxis in clinical studies.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jose Roberto Rodrigues, Scott W. Roy, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
Summary: Avian haemosporidian parasites can cause malaria-like symptoms and threaten bird species, and recently, new RNA viruses associated with these parasites have been discovered. Analysis of transcriptome data revealed the presence of two novel RNA viruses associated with different genera of avian haemosporidians.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Rubika Chauhan, Vikky Awasthi, Reva Sharan Thakur, Veena Pande, Debprasad Chattopadhyay, Jyoti Das
Summary: The study found that infection with lethal malaria parasites led to an increase in regulatory T cell frequency and higher levels of cytokines, creating an immunosuppressive environment that helps the parasites survive. In contrast, infection with non-lethal malaria parasites resulted in lower regulatory T cell frequency and minimal interference with immune responses, allowing the parasites to be self-resolved.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Amatul Hamizah Ali, Suhaini Sudi, Ng Shi-Jing, Wan Rozianoor Mohd Hassan, Rusliza Basir, Hani Kartini Agustar, Noor Embi, Hasidah Mohd Sidek, Jalifah Latip
Summary: Death in malaria is often caused by cerebrovascular blockage and anaemia, but excessive cytokine production can also worsen the disease. Quercetin, an inhibitor of GSK3 beta, shows potential as a therapeutic for malaria by modulating imbalanced cytokine production. In murine models, quercetin treatment was found to suppress parasitaemia and alter cytokine levels, indicating its anti-malarial and cytokine-modulating effects.
Review
Immunology
Marilyn Vasquez, Marisol Zuniga, Ana Rodriguez
Summary: Malaria is a highly inflammatory and oxidative disease, with oxidative stress from both host and parasite potentially leading to severe complications. Therapeutics targeting the restoration and maintenance of oxidative balance may help prevent lethal complications of the disease.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benedito M. Dos Santos, Jude M. Przyborski, Celia R. S. Garcia
Summary: English Summary: The GPCR-like SR25 in Plasmodium falciparum, a species of apicomplexan parasites, is activated by a shift in potassium concentration, allowing the parasite to take advantage of its development by sensing different ionic concentrations in the external milieu. This pathway involves the activation of phospholipase C and an increase in cytosolic calcium. This report summarizes the role of potassium ions during parasite development based on available literature, contributing to our understanding of the cell cycle of Plasmodium spp.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Stephenie C. Alaribe, Akolade R. Oladipupo, Goodness C. Uche, Maryan U. Onumba, Duncan Ota, Olufunsho Awodele, Wellington A. Oyibo
Summary: The study evaluated the antimalarial activity of a polyherbal mixture and its constituent plants, showing significant antiplasmodial effects in various assays. While the herbal mixtures demonstrated parasite suppression and prophylaxis comparable to positive controls, they had lower parasite clearance rates. The combination of herbal plants may produce synergistic or additive effects against malaria, suggesting their use as traditional remedies warrant further investigation for clinical usefulness.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Lei Hai, Xiaoyu Shi, Qian Wang
Summary: Protection from experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) in mice infected with Pbyop1 Delta parasites is associated with reduced intracerebral Th1 accumulation, decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and attenuated pathologies in the brainstem. However, the total number of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells sequestered in the brain is not reduced. Expression of adhesive molecules on brain endothelial cells is decreased, particularly in the brainstem.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Charlie Jennison, Janna M. Armstrong, Dorender A. Dankwa, Nina Hertoghs, Sudhir Kumar, Biley A. Abatiyow, Myo Naung, Nana K. Minkah, Kristian E. Swearingen, Robert Moritz, Alyssa E. Barry, Stefan H. I. Kappe, Ashley M. Vaughan
Summary: Plasmodium parasites, the eukaryotic pathogens that cause malaria, have three distinct invasive forms adapted to different host environments. Micronemes, a type of secretory organelle, play crucial roles in egress, motility, adhesion, and invasion. This study demonstrates that GPI-anchored micronemal antigen (GAMA) is involved in sporozoite motility, egress, and invasion, suggesting its role as a regulator of microneme function. The findings also show conservation of GAMA's function across Plasmodium species.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hiroko Asahi, Fumie Kobayashi, Shin-Ichi Inoue, Mamoru Niikura, Kenji Yagita, Mohammed Essa Marghany Tolba
CURRENT TOPICS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2016)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Makoto Matsubayashi, Fumiya Kawahara, Takeshi Hatta, Junya Yamagishi, Takeharu Miyoshi, Anisuzzaman, Kazumi Sasai, Takashi Isobe, Kiyoshi Kita, Naotoshi Tsuji
INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2016)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hajime Honma, Mamoru Niikura, Fumie Kobayashi, Toshihiro Horii, Toshihiro Mita, Hiroyoshi Endo, Makoto Hirai
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2016)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mamoru Niikura, Keisuke Komatsuya, Shin-Ichi Inoue, Risa Matsuda, Hiroko Asahi, Daniel Ken Inaoka, Kiyoshi Kita, Fumie Kobayashi
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hiroko Asahi, Shin-Ichi Inoue, Mamoru Niikura, Keisuke Kunigo, Yutaka Suzuki, Fumie Kobayashi, Fujiro Sendo
Article
Parasitology
Mamoru Niikura, Shin-Ichi Inoue, Toshiyuki Fukutomi, Junya Yamagishi, Hiroko Asahi, Fumie Kobayashi
EXPERIMENTAL PARASITOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hiroki Hayase, Nobumoto Watanabe, Chung Liang Lim, Toshihiko Nogawa, Keisuke Komatsuya, Kiyoshi Kita, Hiroyuki Osada
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2015)
Article
Immunology
Shin-Ichi Inoue, Mamoru Niikura, Hiroko Asahi, Yasushi Kawakami, Fumie Kobayashi
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mamoru Niikura, Shin-Ichi Inoue, Shoichiro Mineo, Hiroko Asahi, Fumie Kobayashi
Article
Parasitology
Mamoru Niikura, Toshiyuki Fukutomi, Kana Fukui, Shin-Ichi Inoue, Hiroko Asahi, Fumie Kobayashi
PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2020)
Article
Immunology
Mamoru Niikura, Toshiyuki Fukutomi, Jiro Mitobe, Fumie Kobayashi
Summary: This study revealed that NAB2 and SR1 play essential roles in the asexual development of malaria parasites, while GBP2 is involved in male and female gametocyte production. The cellular localization and protein interactions of GBP2 and NAB2 suggest a conserved mechanism used by malaria parasites.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mamoru Niikura, Toshiyuki Fukutomi, Shoichiro Mineo, Jiro Mitobe, Fumie Kobayashi
Summary: The study suggests that IFN-gamma signaling may contribute to liver disease during malaria in pregnancy, while iNOS plays a crucial role in the development of liver disease associated with malaria. These findings provide important insights into metabolic responses and the pathogenesis of high-risk liver diseases in pregnancy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mamoru Niikura, Toshiyuki Fukutomi, Shoichiro Mineo, Jiro Mitobe, Fumie Kobayashi
Summary: Mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary gland, can be more severe in postpartum mice infected with malaria parasites, leading to weight loss in pups and structural changes in the mammary gland tissue. Inflammation induced by IFN-gamma is associated with the development of mastitis in postpartum mice infected with Pb ANKA.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nobuo Cho, Ko Kikuzato, Yushi Futamura, Takeshi Shimizu, Hiroki Hayase, Kikuko Kamisaka, Daisuke Takaya, Hitomi Yuki, Teruki Honma, Mamoru Niikura, Fumie Kobayashi, Nobumoto Watanabe, Hiroyuki Osada, Hiroo Koyama
Summary: This study describes the identification, structure-activity relationships, and biological effects of a new class of antimalarials. Through a cell-based phenotypic approach, a hit compound with significant in vitro activity was identified and further SAR studies led to the discovery of a compound with potent inhibition of parasite growth. The compound showed significant in vivo antimalarial effects in mouse models, and molecular modeling studies suggested its preferential adoption of an active conformer.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Shin-Ichi Inoue, Mamoru Niikura, Hiroko Asahi, Yoichiro Iwakura, Yasushi Kawakami, Fumie Kobayashi
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2017)