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Killing of Plasmodium Sporozoites by Basic Amphipathic α-Helical Fusion Peptides

Microorganisms, ISSN: 2076-2607, Vol: 12, Issue: 3
2024
  • 1
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 3
    Captures
  • 2
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    1
    • Citation Indexes
      1
  • Captures
    3
  • Mentions
    2
    • Blog Mentions
      1
      • Blog
        1
    • News Mentions
      1
      • 1

Most Recent News

Study Results from Universite Paris Cite Provide New Insights into Malaria (Killing of Plasmodium Sporozoites by Basic Amphipathic a-Helical Fusion Peptides)

2024 MAR 18 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Zika & Mosquito Daily -- New research on malaria is the subject of

Article Description

Membranolytic molecules constitute the first line of innate immune defense against pathogenic microorganisms. Plasmodium sporozoites are potentially exposed to these cytotoxic molecules in the hemolymph and salivary glands of mosquitoes, as well as in the skin, blood, and liver of the mammalian host. Here, we show that sporozoites are resistant to bacteriolytic concentration of cecropin B, a cationic amphipathic antimicrobial insect peptide. Intriguingly, anti-tumoral cell-penetrating peptides derived from the anti-apoptotic protein AAC11 killed P. berghei and P. falciparum sporozoites. Using dynamic imaging, we demonstrated that the most cytotoxic peptide, called RT39, did not significantly inhibit the sporozoite motility until the occurrence of a fast permeabilization of the parasite membrane by the peptide. Concomitantly, the cytosolic fluorescent protein constitutively expressed by sporozoites leaked from the treated parasite body while To-Pro 3 and FITC-labeled RT39 internalized, respectively, binding to the nucleic acids and membranes of sporozoites. This led to an increase in the parasite granularity as assessed by flow cytometry. Most permeabilization events started at the parasite’s posterior end, resulting in the appearance of a fluorescent dot in the anterior part of sporozoites. Understanding and exploiting the susceptibility of sporozoites and other plasmodial stages to membranolytic molecules might foster strategies to eliminate the parasite and block its transmission.

Bibliographic Details

Aguirre-Botero, Manuela C; Aliprandini, Eduardo; Gladston, Anisha; Pacios, Olga; Miyazawa Martins, Rafael; Poyet, Jean-Luc; Amino, Rogerio

MDPI AG

Immunology and Microbiology; Medicine

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