Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
Malaria is a severe global health problem that causes approximately 435,000 deaths per year. Any non-immune individual traveling to malaria endemic regions can be affected too, including humanitarian volunteers, travelers, and US troops.
Under physiological conditions, damaged or malaria-infected RBCs would be removed within the spleen, but Plasmodium falciparum infected RBCs (iRBCs) sequester to microvascular endothelial cells to avoid entering the spleen. Adhesion interactions and parasite sequestration to endothelial cells are mediated by Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 family (PfEMP1) proteins expressed on the iRBC’s surface. The PfEMP1 proteins bind to existing endothelial cell surface receptors that already serve primary functions, including ICAM-1, integrin αVβ3, and CD36.
Traditionally, these receptors are explored in the context of endothelial cell sequestration, but this project examines the consequence of receptor::PfEMP1 interaction on immune cells, namely monocyte-like THP-1 cells.
Under physiological conditions, damaged or malaria-infected RBCs would be removed within the spleen, but Plasmodium falciparum infected RBCs (iRBCs) sequester to microvascular endothelial cells to avoid entering the spleen. Adhesion interactions and parasite sequestration to endothelial cells are mediated by Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 family (PfEMP1) proteins expressed on the iRBC’s surface. The PfEMP1 proteins bind to existing endothelial cell surface receptors that already serve primary functions, including ICAM-1, integrin αVβ3, and CD36.
Traditionally, these receptors are explored in the context of endothelial cell sequestration, but this project examines the consequence of receptor::PfEMP1 interaction on immune cells, namely monocyte-like THP-1 cells.
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