Abstract
BackgroundPlacental malaria (PM) is one major feature of malaria during pregnancy. A murine model of experimental PM using BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA was recently established, but there is need for additional PM models with different parasite/host combinations that allow to interrogate the involvement of specific host genetic factors in the placental inflammatory response to Plasmodium infection.MethodsA mid-term infection protocol was used to test PM induction by three P. berghei parasite lines, derived from the K173, NK65 and ANKA strains of P. berghei that fail to induce experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) in the susceptible C57BL/6 mice. Parasitaemia course, pregnancy outcome and placenta pathology induced by the three parasite lines were compared.ResultsThe three P. berghei lines were able to evoke severe PM pathology and poor pregnancy outcome features. The results indicate that parasite components required to induce PM are distinct from ECM. Nevertheless, infection with parasites of the ANKAΔpm4 line, which lack expression of plasmepsin 4, displayed milder disease phenotypes associated with a strong innate immune response as compared to infections with NK65 and K173 parasites.ConclusionsInfection of pregnant C57BL/6 females with K173, NK65 and ANKAΔpm4 P. berghei parasites provide experimental systems to identify host molecular components involved in PM pathogenesis mechanisms.
Highlights
Placental malaria (PM) is one major feature of malaria during pregnancy
The results show that pregnant mice infected with the three lines develop PM indicating that P. berghei parasite factors that are responsible for inducing experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) in the C57BL/6 mouse are not required to induce placental pathology and poor pregnancy outcome in female mice infected during pregnancy
To ascertain the effect of infection in pregnancy, mice were infected with K173 and NK65 at G13 when placenta vascularisation is established while infection with ANKAΔpm4 was performed at G10 due to reduced multiplication rate of this parasite [16]
Summary
Placental malaria (PM) is one major feature of malaria during pregnancy. A murine model of experimental PM using BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA was recently established, but there is need for additional PM models with different parasite/host combinations that allow to interrogate the involvement of specific host genetic factors in the placental inflammatory response to Plasmodium infection. The results show that pregnant mice infected with the three lines develop PM indicating that P. berghei parasite factors that are responsible for inducing ECM in the C57BL/6 mouse are not required to induce placental pathology and poor pregnancy outcome in female mice infected during pregnancy. These experimental systems are valuable tools to study host and foetal genetic factors in the pathogenesis of placental response to Plasmodium infection
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
