Breakdown in membrane asymmetry regulation leads to monocyte recognition of P. falciparum-infected red blood cells.

ABSTRACT: The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum relies on lipids to survive; this makes its lipid metabolism an attractive drug target. The lipid phosphatidylserine (PS) is usually confined to the inner leaflet of the red blood cell membrane (RBC) bilayer; however, some studies suggest that infection with the intracellular parasite results in the presence of this lipid in the RBC membrane outer leaflet, where it could act as a recognition signal to phagocytes. Here, we used fluorescent lipid analogues and probes to investigate the enzymatic reactions responsible for maintaining asymmetry between membrane leaflets, and found that in parasitised RBCs the maintenance of membrane asymmetry was partly disrupted, and PS was increased in the outer leaflet. We examined the underlying causes for t

SUBMITTER: Fraser M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7891792 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature