The mechanism of heparin/heparan sulfide in the process of <italic>Plasmodium falciparum</italic> invasion of red blood cells

Abstract

Malaria is a parasitic disease caused by plasmodium . Plasmodium is an obligate intracellular parasite that requires two hosts: human and Anopheles . The parasites of humans mainly include Plasmodium falciparum , Plasmodium vivax , Plasmodium Malariae , Plasmodium ovale , and Plasmodium Knosei . Plasmodium falciparum has the strongest pathogenicity, and it is the main pathogen causing the morbidity and death of malaria worldwide. Heparan sulfate is an unbranched polysaccharide widely distributed on the surface of vertebrate cells. It is an important receptor for malaria to invade host red blood cells, and plays a key role in the process of malaria invasion. Plasmodium invasion of host red blood cells is a rapid and complex process. Plasmodium invasion-related proteins play an important role in the process of malaria parasite invasion. They are mainly involved in the processes of adhesion to host red blood cells, formation of mobile junction complexes, and formation and modification of parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). Adhesion is the first step for Plasmodium falciparum to invade host red blood cells. Invasion-related proteins bind to heparan sulfide receptors on the surface of host red blood cells to complete subsequent invasion. Based on domestic and foreign literature, this article summarizes the research on heparin/heparan sulfate in the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum , the binding of Plasmodium falciparum invasion-related proteins and heparin/heparan sulfide, and the mechanism of Plasmodium falciparum invasion-related proteins in the process of merozoites invading host red blood cells. The molecular mechanism of the binding of related proteins to heparin in the process provides a theoretical basis, and also provides a reference for the development and treatment of new antimalarial drugs and vaccines.