title: Cross-reactive surface epitopes on chondroitin sulfate A-adherent Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes are associated with transcription of var2csa.
abstract: Malaria in pregnancy is associated with placental accumulation of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IE) that adhere to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA). Adhesion is mediated by P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), a variant parasite protein expressed on the surface of IE and encoded by var genes. Rabbit antiserum was generated against the CSA-adherent P. falciparum line CS2, in which the dominant var transcribed is var2csa, a relatively conserved var gene that has been associated with CSA adhesion. Anti-CS2 recognized genetically distinct CSA-adherent P. falciparum lines but not CD36-adherent parent lines. Reactivity with anti-CS2 correlated with the level of adhesion to CSA. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting according to binding of anti-CS2 showed reactivity was associated with CSA adhesion and transcription of var2csa. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that var2csa encodes a PfEMP1 expressed on the surface of IE, which mediates adhesion to CSA and is relatively conserved between genetically distinct strains of P. falciparum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria 3050 Australia. salenna@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Salenna R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Beeson
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Danny W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rogerson
authors.forename: Graham V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006224:Cricetinae; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000939:Epitopes; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C085731:erythrocyte membrane protein 1, Plasmodium falciparum; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates