title: Plasmodium berghei Δp52&p36 parasites develop independent of a parasitophorous vacuole membrane in Huh-7 liver cells.
abstract: The proteins P52 and P36 are expressed in the sporozoite stage of the murine malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. Δp52&p36 sporozoites lacking expression of both proteins are severely compromised in their capability to develop into liver stage parasites and abort development soon after invasion; presumably due to the absence of a parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). However, a small proportion of P. berghei Δp52&p36 parasites is capable to fully mature in hepatocytes causing breakthrough blood stage infections. We have studied the maturation of replicating Δp52&p36 parasites in cultured Huh-7 hepatocytes. Approximately 50% of Δp52&p36 parasites developed inside the nucleus of the hepatocyte but did not complete maturation and failed to produce merosomes. In contrast cytosolic Δp52&p36 parasites were able to fully mature and produced infectious merozoites. These Δp52&p36 parasites developed into mature schizonts in the absence of an apparent parasitophorous vacuole membrane as shown by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Merozoites derived from these maturing Δp52&p36 liver stages were infectious for C57BL/6 mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ivo H J
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Ploemen
authors.forename: Huib J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Croes
authors.forename: Geert-Jan J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: van Gemert
authors.forename: Mietske
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wijers-Rouw
authors.forename: Cornelus C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hermsen
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Sauerwein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008288:Malaria / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D052940:Merozoites / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D010271:Parasites / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D050505:Mutant Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins