Of mice and women: rodent models of placental malaria.
Pregnant women are at increased malaria risk. The infections are characterized by placental accumulation of infected erythrocytes (IEs) with adverse consequences for mother and baby. Placental IE sequestration in the intervillous space is mediated by variant surface antigens (VSAs) selectively expressed in placental malaria (PM) and specific for chondroitin sulfate A (CSA). In Plasmodium falciparum, these VSA(PM) appear largely synonymous with the P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family variant VAR2CSA. As rodent malaria parasites do not possess PfEMP1 homologs, the usefulness of experimental mouse PM models remains controversial. However, many features of murine and human PM are similar, including involvement of VSAs analogous to PfEMP1. It thus appears that rodent model studies can further the understanding of VSA-dependent malaria pathogenesis and immunity.
Hviid
Lars
L
Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department for International Health, Immunology, and Microbiology (ISIM), University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark. lhviid@sund.ku.dk
Marinho
Claudio R F
CR
Staalsoe
Trine
T
Penha-Gonçalves
Carlos
C
D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan