malaria
Fungal and Parasitic InfectionsLactic Acid Supplementation Increases Quantity and Quality of Gametocytes in Plasmodium falciparum CultureMalaria infection by Plasmodium falciparum continues to afflict millions of people worldwide, with transmission being dependent upon mosquito ingestion of the parasite gametocyte stage. These sexually committed stages develop from the asexual stages, yet the factors behind this transition are not completely understood. Here, we found that lactic acid increases...
Fungal and Parasitic InfectionsNonlethal Plasmodium yoelii Infection Drives Complex Patterns of Th2-Type Host Immunity and Mast Cell-Dependent BacteremiaMalaria strongly predisposes to bacteremia, which is associated with sequestration of parasitized red blood cells and increased gastrointestinal permeability. The mechanisms underlying this disruption are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the expression of factors associated with mast cell activation and malaria-associated bacteremia in a rodent model. C57BL/6J mice were infected with...
Fungal and Parasitic InfectionsImportance of the Immunodominant CD8+ T Cell Epitope of Plasmodium berghei Circumsporozoite Protein in Parasite- and Vaccine-Induced ProtectionThe circumsporozoite protein (CSP) builds up the surface coat of sporozoites and is the leading malaria pre-erythrocytic-stage vaccine candidate. CSP has been shown to induce robust CD8+ T cell responses that are capable of eliminating developing parasites in hepatocytes, resulting in protective immunity. In this study, we characterized the importance of the immunodominant CSP-derived epitope SYIPSAEKI of...
Fungal and Parasitic InfectionsMicroscopic and Submicroscopic Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum Infections in Ghanaian Children and Protection against Febrile MalariaNaturally acquired immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria is thought to be nonsterile and sustained by persistence of low-level parasitemia. This study assessed the association between baseline microscopic and submicroscopic asymptomatic P. falciparum infections and antimalarial antibody levels...
Host Response and InflammationCirculating Cytokines Associated with Poor Pregnancy Outcomes in Beninese Exposed to Infection with Plasmodium falciparumMalaria during pregnancy is a major cause of maternal morbidity as well as fetal and neonatal mortality. Previous studies, including our own, suggested that placental and peripheral cytokine and chemokine levels measured at delivery can be used as biomarkers for pregnancy outcomes. However, the timing of malaria infection during pregnancy matters, and these studies do not address the effect of different cytokines in peripheral blood...
Host Response and InflammationEarly Endothelial Activation Precedes Glycocalyx Degradation and Microvascular Dysfunction in Experimentally Induced Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax InfectionEndothelial activation and microvascular dysfunction are key pathogenic processes in severe malaria. We evaluated the early role of these processes in experimentally induced Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax infection. Participants were enrolled in induced blood-stage malaria clinical trials....
Fungal and Parasitic InfectionsPeripheral Merozoite Surface Proteins Are Targets of Naturally Acquired Immunity against Malaria in both India and Ghana...Development of a successful blood-stage vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a high priority. Immune-epidemiological studies are effective tools for the identification of antigenic targets of naturally acquired immunity (NAI) against malaria. However, differences in study design and methodology may compromise interstudy comparisons.
Host Response and InflammationIn Vivo Imaging of the Buccal Mucosa Shows Loss of the Endothelial Glycocalyx and Perivascular Hemorrhages in Pediatric Plasmodium falciparum MalariaSevere malaria is mostly caused by Plasmodium falciparum, resulting in considerable, systemic inflammation and pronounced endothelial activation. The endothelium forms an interface between blood and tissue, and vasculopathy has previously been linked with malaria severity. We studied the extent to which the endothelial glycocalyx that normally maintains endothelial...
Host Response and InflammationPD-1 Expression on NK Cells in Malaria-Exposed Individuals Is Associated with Diminished Natural Cytotoxicity and Enhanced Antibody-Dependent Cellular CytotoxicityNatural killer (NK) cells are key effector cells of innate resistance capable of destroying tumors and virus-infected cells through cytotoxicity and rapid cytokine production. The control of NK cell responses is complex and only partially understood. PD-1 is an inhibitory receptor that regulates T cell function, but a role for PD-1 in regulating NK cell function is only beginning to emerge.
Microbial Immunity and VaccinesPreclinical Development and Assessment of Viral Vectors Expressing a Fusion Antigen of Plasmodium falciparum LSA1 and LSAP2 for Efficacy against Liver-Stage MalariaDespite promising progress in malaria vaccine development in recent years, an efficacious subunit vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum remains to be licensed and deployed. Cell-mediated protection from liver-stage malaria relies on a sufficient number of antigen-specific T cells reaching the liver during the time that parasites are present. A single vaccine...