Sickle-trait hemoglobin reduces adhesion to both CD36 and EPCR by Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes.

ABSTRACT: Sickle-trait hemoglobin protects against severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Severe malaria is governed in part by the expression of the Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 (PfEMP1) that are encoded by var genes, specifically those variants that bind Endothelial Protein C Receptor (EPCR). In this study, we investigate the effect of sickle-trait on parasite var gene expression and function in vitro and in field-collected parasites. We mapped var gene reads generated from RNA sequencing in parasite cultures in normal and sickle-cell trait blood throughout the asexual lifecycle. We investigated sickle-trait effect on PfEMP1 interactions with host receptors CD36 and EPCR using static adhesion assays and flow cytometry. Var expression in vivo was compared by assembling var do

SUBMITTER: Petersen JEV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8221791 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature