title: Identification of a region of PfEMP1 that mediates adherence of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes to CD36: conserved function with variant sequence.
abstract: Adherence of mature parasitized erythrocytes (PE) of Plasmodium falciparum to microvascular endothelial cells contributes directly to the virulence and pathology of this human malaria. The malarial variant antigen, P falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), has been implicated as the PE receptor for CD36 on endothelial cells. We identified the region of PfEMP1 that mediates adherence of PE to CD36 and showed that a recombinant protein fragment from this region blocked and reversed adherence of antigenically different parasites. Sequence variation was evident in the CD36 binding domain of different PfEMP1 genes, yet many highly conserved residues, particularly cysteine residues, are evident. This suggests a highly conserved shape that mediates adherence to CD36. Immunization with the CD36-binding domain elicited sera that are cross-reactive with the different recombinant proteins but are strain-specific for the PE surface. Novel anti-adherence therapeutics and a malaria vaccine may derived from exploitation of the structure of the CD36 binding domain of PfEMP1.
authors.affiliation: Affymax Research Institute, Santa Clara, CA, USA.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Baruch
authors.forename: X C
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Pasloske
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018955:CD36 Antigens; D016466:CHO Cells; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D018955:CD36 Antigens; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C085731:erythrocyte membrane protein 1, Plasmodium falciparum