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Cytoadhesion of Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells changes the expression of cytokine-, histone- and antiviral protein-encoding genes in brain endothelial cells
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  • Johannes Allweier,
  • Michael Bartels,
  • Hanifeh Torabi,
  • Maria del Pilar Martinez Tauler,
  • Nahla Galal Metwally,
  • Thomas Roeder,
  • Thomas Gutsmann,
  • Iris Bruchhaus
Johannes Allweier
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin
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Michael Bartels
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin
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Hanifeh Torabi
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin
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Maria del Pilar Martinez Tauler
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin
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Nahla Galal Metwally
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin
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Thomas Roeder
Christian-Albrechts-Universitat zu Kiel
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Thomas Gutsmann
Forschungszentrum Borstel Leibniz Lungenzentrum
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Iris Bruchhaus
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin

Corresponding Author:bruchhaus@bnitm.de

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Abstract

Malaria remains a significant global health problem, mainly due to Plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for most fatal infections. Infected red blood cells (iRBCs) evade spleen clearance by adhering to endothelial cells (ECs), triggering capillary blockage, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and altered vascular permeability, prompting an endothelial transcriptional response. The iRBC IT4var04/HBEC-5i model, where iRBCs present IT4var04 (VAR2CSA) on their surface, was used to analyse the effects of iRBC binding on ECs at different temperature (37°C vs. 40°C). Binding of non-infected RBCs (niRBCs) and fever alone altered the expression of hundreds of genes in ECs. Comparing the expression profile of HBEC-5i cells cultured either in the presence of iRBCs or in the presence of niRBCs revealed significant upregulation of genes linked to immune response, nucleosome assembly, NF-kappa B signaling, angiogenesis, and antiviral immune response/interferon-alpha/beta signaling. Raising the temperature to 40°C, simulating fever, led to further upregulation of many genes, particularly those involved in cytokine production and angiogenesis. In summary, the presence of iRBCs stimulates ECs, activating several immunological pathways and affecting antiviral (-parasitic) mechanisms and angiogenesis. Our data uncovered the induction of the interferon-alpha/beta signaling pathway in ECs in response to iRBCs.
24 Oct 2024Submitted to Molecular Microbiology
26 Oct 2024Submission Checks Completed
26 Oct 2024Assigned to Editor
07 Nov 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Nov 2024Editorial Decision: Accept