A novel way to grow hemozoin-like crystals in vitro and its use to screen for hemozoin inhibiting antimalarial compounds.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hemozoin crystals are normally formed in vivo by Plasmodium parasites to detoxify free heme released after hemoglobin digestion during its intraerythrocytic stage. Inhibition of hemozoin formation by various drugs results in free heme concentration toxic for the parasites. As a consequence, in vitro assays have been developed to screen and select candidate antimalarial drugs based on their capacity to inhibit hemozoin formation. In this report we describe new ways to form hemozoin-like crystals that were incidentally discovered during research in the field of prion inactivation.

Methods

We investigated the use of a new assay based on naturally occurring "self-replicating" particles and previously described as presenting resistance to decontamination comparable to

SUBMITTER: Thomas V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3399802 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature