Dataset Information

Mechanism of splenic cell death and host mortality in a Plasmodium yoelii malaria model.

ABSTRACT: Malaria is a fatal disease that displays a spectrum of symptoms and severity, which are determined by complex host-parasite interactions. It has been difficult to study the effects of parasite strains on disease severity in human infections, but the mechanisms leading to specific disease phenotypes can be investigated using strains of rodent malaria parasites that cause different disease symptoms in inbred mice. Using a unique mouse malaria model, here we investigated the mechanisms of splenic cell death and their relationship to control of parasitemia and host mortality. C57BL/6 mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis N67C display high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (IL-6, IFN-?, TNF-?, CXCL1, and CCL2) and extensive splenic damage with dramatic reduction of splenic cell populations. These disease phenotypes were rescued in RAG2^-/-, IFN-?^-/-, or T cell depleted mice, suggesting IFN-? and T cell mediated disease mechanisms. Additionally, apoptosis was one of the major pathways involved in splenic cell death, which coincides with the peaks of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our results demonstrate the critical roles of T cells and IFN-? in mediating splenic cell apoptosis, parasitemia control, and host lethality and thus may provide important insights for preventing/reducing morbidity associated with severe malaria in humans.

SUBMITTER: Lacerda-Queiroz N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5585408 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Mechanism of splenic cell death and host mortality in a Plasmodium yoelii malaria model.

Lacerda-Queiroz Norinne N Riteau Nicolas N Eastman Richard T RT Bock Kevin W KW Orandle Marlene S MS Moore Ian N IN Sher Alan A Long Carole A CA Jankovic Dragana D Su Xin-Zhuan XZ

Scientific reports 20170905 1

Malaria is a fatal disease that displays a spectrum of symptoms and severity, which are determined by complex host-parasite interactions. It has been difficult to study the effects of parasite strains on disease severity in human infections, but the mechanisms leading to specific disease phenotypes can be investigated using strains of rodent malaria parasites that cause different disease symptoms in inbred mice. Using a unique mouse malaria model, here we investigated the mechanisms of splenic c ...[more]

PMID: 28874800

Similar Datasets

Project description:Microarray studies using synchronized Plasmodium falciparum parasites have revealed a ‘continuous cascade’ of gene expression. Reports vary regarding the stability in these transcriptional patterns in the presence of external stressors. Using Plasmodium yoelii 17X parasites replicating in vivo, we have examined differential gene expression in parasites isolated from individual mice, from independent infections, during ascending and peak parasitemia and in the presence and absence of host antibody responses. Across experimental conditions, transcription was surprisingly stable. Differential gene expression was greatest when comparing differences due to parasite load and/or host cell availability; however, even these changes were modest. Of genes that were differentially expressed, many are of unknown function. There was little to no differential expression of members of the yir and pyst-a multigene families, although a relatively large number of these were expressed during blood-stage infection regardless of experimental condition. Taken together, these results indicate that 1) P. yoelii gene expression remains stable in the presence of a changing host environment and 2) concurrent expression of a large number of the yir and pyst-a genes may function to divert host immune responses away from invariant protective antigens. 1. P. yoelii 17X gene expression profiles were determined in blood-stage parasites isolated from infected Balb/c mice (male, 8-12 weeks old) as follows: a. Mouse 1 (M1), Mouse 2 (M2), Mouse 3 (M3), Donor (D) mouse – three mice simultaneously infected with P. yoelii 17X iRBCs from a single donor mouse. Parasite RNA was isolated early during infection when parasitemia was ascending as follows: M1 - day 11 at 13.0% parasitemia; M2 - day 10 at 11.1% parasitemia; M3 - day 10 at 18.6% parasitemia; D – day 11 at 18.7% parasitemia. b. Infection #1 (I1), infection #2 (I2), infection #3 (I3), infection #4 (I4) – four groups of mice infected on four separate occasions using P. yoelii 17X iRBCs obtained from four separate donor mice. In each case, P. yoelii 17X RNA was isolated from iRBCs obtained on days 10-11 of infection when parasitemia was ascending and was ~15%. c. Day 10 (D10), Day 14 (D14) – P. yoelii 17X RNA isolated from iRBCs during infection #2 on day 10 (14% parasitemia, 14.4% reticulocytes) and on day 14 of infection #2 (43.5% parasitemia, 57.9% reticulocytes). d. WT and JHD - P. yoelii 17X RNA isolated from iRBCs during infection #4 from immunologically intact, wild-type Balb/c mice and B cell deficient, JHD mice on a Balb/c background (ascending infection, 15% parasitemia). e. QA and RMP - P. yoelii 17X RNA isolated from iRBCs during infection #1 from mice previously immunized with a preparation of membrane proteins isolated from P. yoelii 17X infected reticulocytes (PyRMP) (day 12, 13.3% parasitemia and Quil A immunized (QA) control mice (day 10, 15.6% parasitemia) 2. On each array, gene expression in P. yoelii 17X blood-stage parasites was evaluated relative to a standard comparator of purified P. yoelii 17XL total RNA (pooled RNA from 45 mice, mean parasitemia ~35%). Each sample was analyzed on three replicate arrays, one of which was a standard dye-flip. One exception was the infection #3 sample which was analyzed on only on two arrays. On each array, oligonucleotides were spotted in duplicate. 3. Through the use of the standard reference RNA, the following 15 pairwise comparisons across samples were made: (M1 vs M2); (M2 vs M3); (M1 vs M3); (D vs M1); (D vs M2); (D vs M3); (I1 vs I2); (I1 vs I3); (I1 vs I4); (I2 vs I3); (I2 vs I4); (I3 vs I4); (D10 vs D14); (WT vs JHD); (QA vs RMP)

Project description:Erythrocyte-binding-like (EBL) proteins are known to play an important role in malaria parasite invasion of red blood cells (RBCs); however, any roles of EBL proteins in regulating host immune responses remain unknown. Here, we show that Plasmodium yoelii EBL (PyEBL) can shape disease severity by modulating the surface structure of infected RBCs (iRBCs) and host immune responses. We identified an amino acid substitution (a change of C to Y at position 741 [C741Y]) in the protein trafficking domain of PyEBL between isogenic P. yoelliinigeriensis strain N67 and N67C parasites that produce different disease phenotypes in C57BL/6 mice. Exchanges of the C741Y alleles altered parasite growth and host survival accordingly. The C741Y substitution also changed protein processing and trafficking in merozoites and in the cytoplasm of iRBCs, reduced PyEBL binding to band 3, increased phosphatidylserine (PS) surface exposure, and elevated the osmotic fragility of iRBCs, but it did not affect invasion of RBCs in vitro The modified iRBC surface triggered PS-CD36-mediated phagocytosis of iRBCs, host type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling, and T cell differentiation, leading to improved host survival. This study reveals a previously unknown role of PyEBL in regulating host-pathogen interaction and innate immune responses, which may be explored for developing disease control strategies.IMPORTANCE Malaria is a deadly parasitic disease that continues to afflict hundreds of millions of people every year. Infections with malaria parasites can be asymptomatic, with mild symptoms, or fatal, depending on a delicate balance of host immune responses. Malaria parasites enter host red blood cells (RBCs) through interactions between parasite ligands and host receptors, such as erythrocyte-binding-like (EBL) proteins and host Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC). Plasmodium yoelii EBL (PyEBL) is known to play a role in parasite invasion of RBCs. Here, we show that PyEBL also affects disease severity through modulation of host immune responses, particularly type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling. This discovery assigns a new function to PyEBL and provides a mechanism for developing disease control strategies.

Dataset Information

Mechanism of splenic cell death and host mortality in a Plasmodium yoelii malaria model.

Publications

Mechanism of splenic cell death and host mortality in a Plasmodium yoelii malaria model.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets