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)
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
Biology
Michal Pasternak, Julie M. J. Verhoef, Wilson Wong, Tony Triglia, Michael J. Mlodzianoski, Niall Geoghegan, Cindy Evelyn, Ahmad Z. Wardak, Kelly Rogers, Alan F. Cowmarc
Summary: The RhopH complex is not formed during merozoite invasion. Clag3 is released directly into the host cell cytoplasm, while RhopH2 and RhopH3 are released into the nascent parasitophorous vacuole. Export of RhopH2 and RhopH3 from the parasitophorous vacuole into the infected erythrocyte cytoplasm enables assembly of the Clag3/RhopH2/RhopH3 complex and its incorporation into the host cell membrane concomitant with activation of nutrient uptake.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Camelia Herman, Colleen M. Leonard, Perpetua Uhomoibhi, Mark Maire, Delynn Moss, Uwem Inyang, Ado Abubakar, Abiodun Ogunniyi, Nwando Mba, Stacie M. Greby, McPaul I. Okoye, Nnaemeka C. Iriemenam, Ibrahim Maikore, Laura Steinhardt, Eric Rogier
Summary: In a nationwide HIV survey conducted in Nigeria in 2018, blood samples were collected from children aged 0-14 years and analyzed for the presence of Plasmodium antigens, DNA, and antibodies. The study found that children in Nigeria have widespread exposure to Pm, but lower rates of exposure to Po and Pv.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Benjamin Froehlich, Anil K. Dasanna, Christine Lansche, Julian Czajor, Cecilia P. Sanchez, Marek Cyrklaff, Akihisa Yamamoto, Alister Craig, Ulrich S. Schwarz, Michael Lanzer, Motomu Tanaka
Summary: The pathology of Plasmodium falciparum malaria is mainly defined by the cytoadhesion of infected erythrocytes to the microvascular endothelial lining. The use of receptor-functionalized supported membranes as a quantitative biomimetic surface has helped to understand the processes involved in cytoadherence, showing that parasitized erythrocytes bind to the membranes with high efficiency and selectivity.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
James S. McCarthy, Azrin N. Abd-Rahman, Katharine A. Collins, Louise Marquart, Paul Griffin, Anne Kummel, Aline Fuchs, Cornelis Winnips, Vishal Mishra, Katalin Csermak-Renner, J. Prakash Jain, Preetam Gandhi
Summary: The new antimalarial compound cipargamin showed antimalarial activity in healthy volunteers infected with blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum, although some subjects experienced serious liver function changes during treatment. Further evaluation of the compound's hepatic safety profile is needed despite the promising antimalarial activity observed.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
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
Immunology
Bridget E. Barber, Azrin N. Abd-Rahman, Rebecca Webster, Adam J. Potter, Stacey Llewellyn, Louise Marquart, Nischal Sahai, Indika Leelasena, Geoffrey W. Birrell, Michael D. Edstein, G. Dennis Shanks, David Wesche, Joerg J. Moehrle, James S. McCarthy
Summary: A single oral dose of tafenoquine is effective against blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum infection, but prior screening for glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is necessary due to the estimated dose required to clear asexual parasitaemia being >= 460 mg (in adults).
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Daniel J. Weiss, Amelia Bertozzi-Villa, Susan F. Rumisha, Punam Amratia, Rohan Arambepola, Katherine E. Battle, Ewan Cameron, Elisabeth Chestnutt, Harry S. Gibson, Joseph Harris, Suzanne Keddie, Justin J. Millar, Jennifer Rozier, Tasmin L. Symons, Camilo Vargas-Ruiz, Simon I. Hay, David L. Smith, Pedro L. Alonso, Abdisalan M. Noor, Samir Bhatt, Peter W. Gething
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of disruptions to malaria control on malaria incidence and mortality in Africa. Findings show that reductions in access to effective antimalarial drug treatment and insecticide-treated net coverage could lead to increased malaria burden, potentially doubling malaria mortality in 2020.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Huan Cao, Aristotelis Antonopoulos, Sadie Henderson, Heather Wassall, John Brewin, Alanna Masson, Jenna Shepherd, Gabriela Konieczny, Bhinal Patel, Maria-Louise Williams, Adam Davie, Megan A. Forrester, Lindsay Hall, Beverley Minter, Dimitris Tampakis, Michael Moss, Charlotte Lennon, Wendy Pickford, Lars Erwig, Beverley Robertson, Anne Dell, Gordon D. Brown, Heather M. Wilson, David C. Rees, Stuart M. Haslam, J. Alexandra Rowe, Robert N. Barker, Mark A. Vickers
Summary: The surface-exposed high mannose N-glycans on diseased or oxidized red blood cells bind to mannose receptor CD206 on phagocytes, mediating phagocytosis in sickle cell disease and malaria. This recognition of surface N-linked high mannose glycans as a response to cellular stress is a common molecular mechanism in the pathogenesis of sickle cell disease and resistance to severe malaria in individuals with sickle cell trait.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ashraf Ahmad Issa Alapid, Roslaini Abd Majid, Zaid O. Ibraheem, Ahmed Mediani, Intan Safinar Ismail, Ngah Zasmy Unyah, Sharif Alhassan Abdullahi, Norshariza Nordin, Mohammed Nasiru Wana, Rusliza Basir
Summary: This study evaluated the pharmacological effects of AG compared to CQ on the metabolic variations of uninfected red blood cells using H-1-NMR-based metabolomics approach. The results showed clear differentiation between AG and CQ in terms of metabolic changes.
Article
Immunology
Margaux Chauvet, Cerina Chhuon, Joanna Lipecka, Sebastien Dechavanne, Celia Dechavanne, Murielle Lohezic, Margherita Ortalli, Damien Pineau, Jean-Antoine Ribeil, Sandra Manceau, Caroline Le Van Kim, Adrian J. F. Luty, Florence Migot-Nabias, Slim Azouzi, Ida Chiara Guerrera, Anais Merckx
Summary: This passage discusses the possible reasons for the high prevalence of sickle cell disease in certain populations may be related to the protective effect of HbS against severe malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. By studying protein phosphorylation, it reveals the impact of HbS heterozygous carriage on the phosphorylation of proteins in red blood cell membranes and skeletal proteins, as well as parasite proteins during infection with malaria, which may lead to a less severe manifestation of malaria symptoms.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Rebecca Webster, Hayley Mitchell, Jenny M. Peters, Juanita Heunis, Brighid O'Neill, Jeremy Gower, Sean Lynch, Helen Jennings, Fiona H. Amante, Stacey Llewellyn, Louise Marquart, Adam J. Potter, Geoffrey W. Birrell, Michael D. Edstein, G. Dennis Shanks, James S. McCarthy, Bridget E. Barber
Summary: A single low dose of tafenoquine can effectively reduce the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum parasites to mosquitoes, although there is a delay in its effect.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Malwina Birczynska-Zych, Jacek Czepiel, Maria Labanowska, Magdalena Kurdziel, Grazyna Biesiada, Mateusz Kozicki, Aleksander Garlicki, Aleksandra Weselucha-Birczynska
Summary: The study analyzed changes in red blood cells infected with P. falciparum using Raman and EPR spectroscopy, revealing alterations caused by parasite invasion including heme degradation and breakdown products of hemoglobin. Complex changes in erythrocyte membrane as a result of P. falciparum activity were also observed, along with the presence of characteristic phospholipids and amino acids indicating a protein family unique to P. falciparum. Iron ions, copper ions, and peroxyl radicals were identified in the process of iron transfer in the blood.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Elamaran Meibalan, Aissata Barry, Matthew P. Gibbins, Shehu Awandu, Lisette Meerstein-Kessel, Fiona Achcar, Selina Bopp, Christopher Moxon, Amidou Diarra, Siaka Debe, Nicolas Ouedraogo, Ines Barry-Some, Emilie S. Badoum, Traore Fagnima, Kjerstin Lanke, Bronner P. Goncalves, John Bradley, Dyann Wirth, Chris Drakeley, Wamdaogo Moussa Guelbeogo, Alfred B. Tiono, Matthias Marti, Teun Bousema
Summary: The study suggests that there is no significant skin sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes. Gametocyte densities in peripheral blood can be used to predict the potential transmission to mosquitoes, aiding in targeting and monitoring malaria elimination initiatives. Although more mosquitoes were infected when feeding directly on skin, concentrations of gametocytes in subdermal skin vasculature were not higher than in other blood compartments.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)