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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
general
Rapid switching to multiple antigenic and adhesive phenotypes in malaria
Nature, Volume 357, No. 6380, Year 1992
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Description
ADHESION of parasitized erythrocytes to post-capillary venular endothelium1or uninfected red cells'2-4 is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of severe Plasmodlum faldparum malaria. Neo-antigens at the infected red-cell surface adhere to a variety of host receptors5-9, demonstrate serological diversity in field isolates10,11 and may also be a target of the host-protective immune response12. Here we use sequential cloning ofP. faldparum by micromanipula-tion to investigate the ability of a parasite to switch antigenic and cytoadherence phenotypes. Our data show that antigens at the parasitized cell surface undergo clonal variation in vitro in the absence of immune pressure at the rate of 2% per generation with concomitant modulations of the adhesive phenotype. A clone has the potential to switch at high frequency to a variety of antigenic and adhesive phenotypes, including a new type of cytoadherence behaviour, 'auto-agglutination' of infected erythrocytes. This rapid appearance of antigenic and functional heterogeneity has important implications for pathogenesis and acquired immunity. © 1992 Nature Publishing Group.
Authors & Co-Authors
Roberts, David J.
United Kingdom, Oxford
Mrc Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Craig, Alister Gordon
United Kingdom, Oxford
Mrc Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Berendt, Anthony R.
United Kingdom, Oxford
Mrc Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Pinches, Robert A.
United Kingdom, Oxford
Mrc Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Marsh, Kevin
United Kingdom, Oxford
Mrc Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Newbold, Chris I.
United Kingdom, Oxford
Mrc Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Statistics
Citations: 534
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1038/357689a0
ISSN:
00280836
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Infectious Diseases