A conserved malaria parasite antigen Pb22 plays a critical role in male gametogenesis in Plasmodium berghei

AbstractBackgroundMalaria parasites are very vulnerable to oxidative stress during the part of their life cycle when they inhabit the erythrocytes. Studies have shown that dietary intake of antioxidant plays a role in stabilizing oxidative stress.MethodsThe objective of this research work was to examine the antioxidative effect of red palm oil on Plasmodium berghei malaria induced oxidative stress. Sixty (60) mice were distributed into five groups. Group A served as the negative control (healthy mice with normal feed); group B as positive control (healthy mice fed with red palm oil without malaria parasite.while the other groups (C to E) served as the test groups. Group C served as group of healthy mice fed with red palm oil (pelletized), infected with malaria parasite without antimalaria drug. Group D served as group of healthy mice fed with red palm oil (pelletized), infected with malaria parasite and treated with amodiaquine. Group E served as group of healthy mice fed with normal feed, infected with malaria parasite and treated with amodiaquine. The parasitemia levels were estimated on days 1,4 and 5. The activity of oxidative stress enzymes biomarkers were determined spectrophotometrically.ResultGroup A showed a statistically significant increase in the activity of SOD (1.90 ± 0.16 units/mg protein), GST (1.68 ± 0.086 units/L) compared to group C, SOD (3.54 ± 0.83 units/mg protein), GST (2.12 ± 0.20 units/L). Group B showed a statistical significant decrease in the activities of SOD (3.22 ± 0.33 units/mg protein), Catalase (49.11 ± 2.35 µmol/min), GSH-R (31.50 ± 2.48 units/L) compared to group E, SOD (2.18 ± 0.39 units/mg protein), Catalase (44.07 ± 3.88 µmol/min), GSH-R (27.75 ± 1.64 units/L).ConclusionThe dietary intake of red palm oil helps to reduce free radical mediated injury to the tissue thus preventing oxidative stress induced by malaria or any other factors.

Download Full-text

Nuclear Pore Complex Components in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium berghei

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-018-29590-5 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jessica Kehrer ◽

Claudia Kuss ◽

Amparo Andres-Pons ◽

Anna Reustle ◽

Noa Dahan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Pore Complex ◽

Plasmodium Berghei ◽

Malaria Parasite ◽

Nuclear Pore ◽

Parasite Plasmodium ◽

Complex Components

Download Full-text

Early Perturbations in Glucose Utilization in Malaria-Infected Murine Erythrocytes, Liver and Brain Observed by Metabolomics

Metabolites ◽

10.3390/metabo10070277 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 277

Author(s):

Arjun Sengupta ◽

Soumita Ghosh ◽

Shobhona Sharma ◽

Haripalsingh M. Sonawat

Keyword(s):

Plasmodium Berghei ◽

Metabolic Pathways ◽

Malaria Parasite ◽

Glucose Utilization ◽

Early Infection ◽

Flux Analysis ◽

Plasmodium Berghei Anka ◽

Central Carbon ◽

The Brain ◽

Pathway Level

Investigation of glucose utilization during an infection is central to the study of energy metabolism. The heavy utilization of glucose by the malaria parasite, and the consequences of this process, have been investigated extensively. However, host glucose utilization during early infection has not been explored to date. In a first attempt, this article investigates the changes in the host glucose utilization in Balb/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA using 13C-labeled glucose infusion followed by NMR spectroscopy. The results suggested significant alterations of liver, brain and red blood cell (RBC) glucose utilization during early infection when the parasitemia was <1%. At the pathway level, we observed a decrease in the shunt metabolite 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate in the RBCs. Glycolysis and pathways associated with it, along with fatty acid unsaturation, were altered in the liver. Significant changes were observed in the central carbon metabolic pathways in the brain. These results have implications in understanding the host physiology during early infection and pave the way for detailed flux analysis of the proposed perturbed pathways.

Download Full-text