Plasmodium falciparum malaria skews globin gene expression balance in in-vitro haematopoietic stem cell culture system: Its implications in malaria associated anemia

Abstract

Understanding the pathophysiology and associated host parasite interactions of the malaria infection is the prerequisite for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. The exact mechanism underlying malaria associated ineffective and dyserythropoiesis is not yet fully understood. Being an important protein, haemoglobin serves as the main amino acid reservoir available to the intra-erythrocytic plasmodium. It is important to check the expression profiling of globin genes which may help us to understand host parasite interactions and its potential contribution to both infection and disease. Here, an in-vitro culture system was used to study the effect of different doses of Plasmodium falciparum on haematopoietic stem cell expansion, differentiation and expression of globin genes. Upon exposure to the different doses of P. falciparum parasites of strains 3D7, Dd2 and RKL9 (intact and lysed form) at different stages of erythroid development, cells demonstrated suppression in growth and differentiation. At almost all stages of erythroid development upon parasite exposure, the γ globin gene was found to be downregulated and the α/β as well as α/non- α globin mRNA ratios in late stage erythroid cells were found to be reduced (p < .01) compared to the untreated controls. The imbalance in globin chain expression might be considered as one of the factors involved in malaria associated inappropriate erythropoietic responses.