scholarly journals Plasmodium falciparum var genes expressed in children with severe malaria encode CIDR α1 domains

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 839-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob S Jespersen ◽  
Christian W Wang ◽  
Sixbert I Mkumbaye ◽  
Daniel TR Minja ◽  
Bent Petersen ◽  
...  
2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Mugasa ◽  
Weihong Qi ◽  
Sebastian Rusch ◽  
Matthias Rottmann ◽  
Hans-Peter Beck

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary M Rorick ◽  
Thomas S Rask ◽  
Edward B Baskerville ◽  
Karen P Day ◽  
Mercedes Pascual

PLoS Biology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e2004328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerry Q. Tonkin-Hill ◽  
Leily Trianty ◽  
Rintis Noviyanti ◽  
Hanh H. T. Nguyen ◽  
Boni F. Sebayang ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliana Cubillos ◽  
Isadora Prata ◽  
Wesley Fotoran ◽  
Nicolas Cardenas ◽  
Diego Alonso ◽  
...  

Abstract The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum expresses variant PfEMP1 proteins on the infected erythrocyte, which function as ligands for endothelial receptors in capillary vessels, leading to erythrocyte sequestration and severe malaria. The factors that orchestrate the mono-allelic expression of the 50-60 PfEMP1-encoding var genes within each parasite genome are still not fully identified. Here, we show that the transcription factor PfAP2-O influences the transcription of var genes and other multigenic families. The temporary knockdown of PfAP2-O leads to a complete loss of var transcriptional memory and a decrease in cytoadherence. AP2-O-knocked down parasites exhibited also significant reductions in transmission through Anopheles mosquitoes. We propose that PfAP2-O is one of the major virulence gene transcriptional regulators and may, therefore, be exploited as an important target to disrupt severe malaria and block parasite transmission.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minh Cuong Duong ◽  
Oanh Kieu Nguyet Pham ◽  
Phong Thanh Nguyen ◽  
Van Vinh Chau Nguyen ◽  
Phu Hoan Nguyen

Abstract Background Drug-resistant falciparum malaria is an increasing public health burden. This study examined the magnitude of Plasmodium falciparum infection and the patterns and predictors of treatment failure in Vietnam. Methods Medical records of all 443 patients with malaria infection admitted to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases between January 2015 and December 2018 were used to extract information on demographics, risk factors, symptoms, laboratory tests, treatment, and outcome. Results More than half (59.8%, 265/443, CI 55.1–64.4%) of patients acquired Plasmodium falciparum infection of whom 21.9% (58/265, CI 17.1–27.4%) had severe malaria, while 7.2% (19/265, CI 4.6–10.9%) and 19.2% (51/265, CI 14.7–24.5%) developed early treatment failure (ETF) and late treatment failure (LTF) respectively. Among 58 patients with severe malaria, 14 (24.1%) acquired infection in regions where artemisinin resistance has been documented including Binh Phuoc (11 patients), Dak Nong (2 patients) and Gia Lai (1 patient). Under treatment with intravenous artesunate, the median (IQR) parasite half-life of 11 patients coming from Binh Phuoc was 3 h (2.3 to 8.3 h), two patients coming from Dak Nong was 2.8 and 5.7 h, and a patient coming from Gia Lai was 6.5 h. Most patients (98.5%, 261/265) recovered completely. Four patients with severe malaria died. Severe malaria was statistically associated with receiving treatment at previous hospitals (P < 0.001), hepatomegaly (P < 0.001) and number of inpatient days (P < 0.001). Having severe malaria was a predictor of ETF (AOR 6.96, CI 2.55–19.02, P < 0.001). No predictor of LTF was identified. Conclusions Plasmodium falciparum remains the prevalent malaria parasite. Despite low mortality rate, severe malaria is not rare and is a significant predictor of ETF. To reduce the risk for ETF, studies are needed to examine the effectiveness of combination therapy including parenteral artesunate and a parenteral partner drug for severe malaria. The study alerts the possibility of drug-resistant malaria in Africa and other areas in Vietnam, which are known as non-endemic areas of anti-malarial drug resistance. A more comprehensive study using molecular technique in these regions is required to completely understand the magnitude of drug-resistant malaria and to design appropriate control strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurnia Fitri Jamil ◽  
Nandha Rizki Pratama ◽  
Sylvia Sance Marantina ◽  
Harapan Harapan ◽  
Muhammad Riza Kurniawan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The malaria control programme in Indonesia has successfully brought down malaria incidence in many parts in Indonesia, including Aceh Province. Clinical manifestation of reported malaria cases in Aceh varied widely from asymptomatic, mild uncomplicated to severe and fatal complications. The present study aims to explore the allelic diversity of merozoite surface protein 1 gene (msp1) and msp2 among the Plasmodium falciparum isolates in Aceh Province and to determine their potential correlation with the severity of malaria clinical manifestation. Methods Screening of over 500 malaria cases admitted to the hospitals in 11 districts hospital within Aceh Province during 2013–2015, identified 90 cases of P. falciparum mono-infection without any co-morbidity. The subjects were clinically phenotyped and parasite DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified for the msp1 and msp2 allelic subfamilies. Results Analysis of clinical manifestation revealed that fever-chill is the most frequent symptom. Based on WHO criteria showed 19 cases were classified as severe and 71 as mild malaria. Analysis of msp1 gene revealed the presence of K1 allele subfamily in 34 subjects, MAD20 in 42 subjects, RO33 in 1 subject, and mixed allelic of K1 + MAD20 in 5 subjects, K1 + RO33 in 4 subjects, and MAD20 + RO33 in 4 subjects. Analysis of msp2 gene revealed 34 subjects carried the FC27 allelic subfamily, 37 subjects carried the 3D7 and 19 subjects carried the mixed FC27 + 3D7. Analysis of multiplicity of infection revealed that msp1 alleles is slightly higher than msp2 with the mean of MOI were 2.69 and 2.27, respectively. Statistical analysis to determine the association between each clinical manifestation and msp1 and msp2 alleles revealed that liver function abnormal value was associated with the msp2 mixed alleles (odds ratio (OR):0.13; 95%CI: 0.03–0.53). Mixed msp1 of K1 + RO33 was associated with severe malaria (OR: 28.50; 95%CI: 1.59–1532.30). Conclusion This study found a strong association between severe malaria in Aceh with subjects carrying the msp1 mixed alleles of K1 and RO33. The liver function abnormal value associated with the msp2 mixed allelic subfamilies. Further study in different geographic areas is recommended.


2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (9) ◽  
pp. 5849-5856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Heddini ◽  
Fredrik Pettersson ◽  
Oscar Kai ◽  
Juma Shafi ◽  
Jack Obiero ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (pRBC) away from the peripheral circulation is a property of all field isolates. Here we have examined the pRBC of 111 fresh clinical isolates from children with malaria for a number of adhesive features in order to study their possible coexpression and association with severity of disease. A large number of adhesion assays were performed studying rosetting, giant rosetting, and binding to CD36, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1, thrombospondin, heparin, blood group A, and immunoglobulins. Suspension assays were performed at the actual parasitemia of the isolate, while all the static adhesion assays were carried out at an equal adjusted parasitemia. The ability to bind to multiple receptors, as well as the ability to form rosettes and giant rosettes, was found to be more frequent among isolates from children with severe versus mild malaria (P = 0.0015). Rosettes and giant rosettes were more frequent for children with severe malaria, and the cell aggregates were larger and tighter, than for those with mild disease (P = 0.0023). Binding of immunoglobulins (97% of isolates) and of heparin (81% of isolates) to infected erythrocytes was common, and binding to heparin and blood group A was associated with severity of disease (P = 0.011 andP = 0.031, respectively). These results support the idea that isolates that bind to multiple receptors are involved in the causation of severe malaria and that several receptor-ligand interactions work synergistically in bringing about severe disease.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janavi S Rambhatla ◽  
Gerry Q Tonkin-Hill ◽  
Eizo Takashima ◽  
Takafumi Tsuboi ◽  
Rintis Noviyanti ◽  
...  

Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), a diverse family of multi-domain proteins expressed on the surface of malaria-infected erythrocytes, is an important target of protective immunity against malaria. Our group recently studied transcription of the var genes encoding PfEMP1 in individuals from Papua, Indonesia with severe or uncomplicated malaria. We cloned and expressed domains from 32 PfEMP1s including 22 that were upregulated in severe malaria and 10 that were upregulated in uncomplicated malaria, using a wheat germ cell-free expression system. We used Luminex technology to measure IgG antibodies to these 32 domains and control proteins in 63 individuals (11 children). At presentation to hospital, levels of antibodies to PfEMP1 domains were either higher in uncomplicated malaria or were not significantly different between groups. Using principal components analysis, antibodies to three of 32 domains were highly discriminatory between groups. These included two domains upregulated in severe malaria, a DBLβ13 domain and a CIDRα1.6 domain (which has been previously implicated in severe malaria pathogenesis), and a DBLδ domain that was upregulated in uncomplicated malaria. Antibody to control non-PfEMP1 antigens did not differ with disease severity. Antibodies to PfEMP1 domains differ with malaria severity. Lack of antibodies to locally expressed PfEMP1 types, including both domains previously associated with severe malaria and newly identified targets, may in part explain malaria severity in Papuan adults. Importance Severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria kills many African children, and lack of antibody immunity predisposes to severe disease. A critical antibody target is the P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane 1 (PfEMP1) family of multidomain proteins, which are expressed on the infected erythrocyte surface and mediate parasite sequestration in deep organs. We previously identified var genes encoding PfEMP1 that were differentially expressed between severe and uncomplicated malaria in Papua, Indonesia. Here, we have expressed domains from 32 of these PfEMP1s and measured IgG antibody responses to them in Papuan adults and children. Using Principal Component Analysis, IgG antibodies to three domains distinguished between severe and uncomplicated malaria and were higher in uncomplicated malaria. Domains included CIDRα1.6, implicated in severe malaria; a DBLβ13 domain; and a DBLδ domain of unknown function. Immunity to locally relevant PfEMP1 domains may protect from severe malaria. Targets of immunity show important overlap between Asian adults and African children.


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