title: Plasmodium falciparum: growth response to potassium channel blocking compounds.
abstract: Potassium channels are essential for cell survival and regulate the cell membrane potential and electrochemical gradient. During its lifecycle, Plasmodium falciparum parasites must rapidly adapt to dramatically variant ionic conditions within the mosquito mid-gut, the hepatocyte and red blood cell (RBC) cytosols, and the human circulatory system. To probe the participation of K(+) channels in parasite viability, growth response assays were performed in which asexual stage P. falciparum parasites were cultured in the presence of various Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel blocking compounds. These data describe the novel anti-malarial effects of bicuculline methiodide and tubocurarine chloride and the novel lack of effect of apamine and verruculogen. Taken together, the data herein imply the presence of K(+) channels, or other parasite-specific targets, in P. falciparum-infected RBCs that are sensitive to blockade with Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel blocking compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. karena.waller@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: Karena L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: Kami
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Thomas V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001030:Apamin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019271:Hypoxanthine / Q000378:metabolism; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014316:Tritium; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D007211:Indoles; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D014316:Tritium; C009658:verruculogen; D001030:Apamin; D019271:Hypoxanthine; C017069:bicuculline methiodide; D014403:Tubocurarine; D001640:Bicuculline