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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology
Differential var gene transcription in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from patients with cerebral malaria compared to hyperparasitaemia
Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Volume 150, No. 2, Year 2006
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Description
The Plasmodium falciparum variant erythrocyte surface antigens known as PfEMP1, encoded by the var gene family, are thought to play a crucial role in malaria pathogenesis because they mediate adhesion to host cells and immuno-modulation. Var genes have been divided into three major groups (A, B and C) and two intermediate groups (B/A and B/C) on the basis of their genomic location and upstream sequence. We analysed expressed sequence tags of the var gene DBLα domain to investigate var gene transcription in relation to disease severity in Malian children. We found that P. falciparum isolates from children with cerebral malaria (unrousable coma) predominantly transcribe var genes with DBLα1-like domains that are characteristic of Group A or B/A var genes. In contrast, isolates from children with equally high parasite burdens but no symptoms or signs of severe malaria (hyperparasitaemia patients) predominantly transcribe var genes with DBLα0-like domains that are characteristic of the B and C-related var gene groups. These results suggest that var genes with DBLα1-like domains (Group A or B/A) may be implicated in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria, while var genes with DBLα0-like domains promote less virulent malaria infections. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Available Materials
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC2176080/bin/mmc1.pdf
Authors & Co-Authors
Kyriacou, Helen M.
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Stone, Graham Nicholas
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Challis, Richard J.
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Raza, Ahmed J.
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Lyke, Kirsten E.
United States, Baltimore
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Thera, Mahamadou Ali
Mali, Bamako
University of Bamako Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology
Koné, Abdoulaye Kassoum
Mali, Bamako
University of Bamako Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology
Doumbo, Ogobara K.
Mali, Bamako
University of Bamako Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology
Plowe, Christopher Vv
United States, Baltimore
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Rowe, Jane Alexandra
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Statistics
Citations: 10
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.molbiopara.2006.08.005
ISSN:
01666851
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health