title: Expression of variant surface antigens by Plasmodium falciparum parasites in the peripheral blood of clinically immune pregnant women indicates ongoing placental infection.
abstract: Placenta-sequestered Plasmodium falciparum parasites that cause pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) in otherwise clinically immune women express distinct variant surface antigens (VSA(PAM)) not expressed by parasites in nonpregnant individuals. We report here that parasites from the peripheral blood of clinically immune pregnant women also express VSA(PAM), making them a convenient source of VSA(PAM) expressors for PAM vaccine research.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ofori
authors.forename: Trine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Staalsoe
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bam
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lundquist
authors.forename: Kim P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Edmund N L
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: Bartholomew D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Akanmori
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hviid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010920:Placenta / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007074:Immunoglobulin G