title: Host actin remodeling and protection from malaria by hemoglobinopathies.
abstract: Many intracellular pathogens remodel the actin of their host cells, and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is no exception to this rule. The surprising finding is that several hemoglobinopathies that protect carriers from severe malaria may do so by interfering with host actin reorganization. Here we discuss our current understanding of actin remodeling in P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes, how hemoglobinopathies interfere with this process, and how impaired host actin remodeling affects the virulence of P. falciparum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cyrklaff
authors.forename: Cecilia P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frischknecht
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanzer
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins