Dynamics in the cytoadherence phenotypes of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes isolated during pregnancy.

Abstract

Pregnant women become susceptible to malaria infection despite their acquired immunity to this disease from childhood. The placental sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes (IE) is the major feature of malaria during pregnancy, due to ability of these parasites to bind chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) in the placenta through the VAR2CSA protein that parasites express on the surface of IE. We collected parasites at different times of pregnancy and investigated the adhesion pattern of freshly collected isolates on the three well described host receptors (CSPG, CD36 and ICAM-1). Var genes transcription profile and VAR2CSA surface-expression were assessed in these isolates. Although adhesion of IE to CD36 and ICAM-1 was observed in some isolates, CSA-adhesion was the predominant binding feature in all isolates analyzed. Co-existence in the peripheral blood of several adhesion phenotypes in early pregnancy isolates was observed, a diversity that gradually tightens with gestational age in favour of the CSA-adhesion phenotype. Infections occurring in primigravidae were often by parasites that adhered more to CSA than those from multigravidae. Data from this study further emphasize the specificity of CSA adhesion and VAR2CSA expression by parasites responsible for pregnancy malaria, while drawing attention to the phenotypic complexity of infections occurring early in pregnancy as well as in multigravidae.

• Authors: Justin Doritchamou, Sylvain Sossou-tchatcha, Gilles Cottrell, Azizath Moussiliou, Christophe Hounton Houngbeme, Achille Massougbodji, Philippe Deloron, Nicaise Tuikue Ndam
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 9 Issue 6 Pg. e98577 ( 2014) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24905223 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Protozoan
• CD36 Antigens
• Protozoan Proteins
• Receptors, Cell Surface
• VAR2CSA protein, Plasmodium falciparum
• chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan receptor, human
• erythrocyte membrane protein 1, Plasmodium falciparum
• Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
• Chondroitin Sulfates

Topics

• Adult
• Antigens, Protozoan (genetics)
• CD36 Antigens (metabolism)
• Cell Adhesion
• Cell Separation
• Chondroitin Sulfates (metabolism)
• Erythrocytes (cytology, parasitology)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation
• Gestational Age
• Humans
• Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (metabolism)
• Parity
• Phenotype
• Placenta (metabolism)
• Plasmodium falciparum (genetics, physiology)
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Outcome
• Protozoan Proteins (genetics)
• Receptors, Cell Surface (metabolism)
• Time Factors
• Transcription, Genetic
• Young Adult