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Novel fibrillar structure confers adhesive property to malaria–infected erythrocytes

Nature Medicine volume 2, pages 204–208 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Infections with the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum are characterized by sequestration of erythrocytes infected by mature forms of the parasite. Sequestration seems critical for the survival of the parasite, but may lead to excessive binding in the microvasculature and death of the human host. We report here that a novel electrondense fibrillar structure, containing immunoglobulins M or M and G, is found at the surface of infected erythrocytes that adhere to host cells. In cases of cerebral malaria, fibrillar strands are also seen in the microvasculature at autopsy. Our findings may explain the adhesive mechanism by which malaria–infected erythrocytes cause the vascular obstruction seen in complicated malaria infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Instituted and Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Box 280, S-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden

    Carin Scholander, Carl Johan Treutiger & Mats Wahlgren

  2. Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Instituted Huddinge Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden

    Kjell Hultenby

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  1. Carin Scholander
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  2. Carl Johan Treutiger
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  3. Kjell Hultenby
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  4. Mats Wahlgren
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Scholander, C., Treutiger, C., Hultenby, K. et al. Novel fibrillar structure confers adhesive property to malaria–infected erythrocytes. Nat Med 2, 204–208 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0296-204

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