Molecular Mechanism of Host Specificity in Plasmodium Falciparum Infection: Role of Circumsporozoite Protein

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Authors
Rathore, Dharmendar
Hrstka, Sybil C.L.
Sacci, John B.
De la Vega, Patricia
Linhardt, Robert J.
Kumar, Sanjai
McCutchan, Thomas F.
Issue Date
2003-10-17
Type
Article
Language
ENG
Keywords
Biology , Chemistry and chemical biology , Chemical and biological engineering , Biomedical engineering
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Alternative Title
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites invade liver cells in humans and set the stage for malaria infection. Circumsporozoite protein (CSP), a predominant surface antigen on sporozoite surface, has been associated with the binding and invasion of liver cells by the sporozoites. Although CSP across the Plasmodium genus has homology and conserved structural organization, infection of a non-natural host by a species is rare. We investigated the role of CSP in providing the host specificity in P. falciparum infection. CSP from P. falciparum, P. gallinaceum, P. knowlesi, and P. yoelii species representing human, avian, simian, and rodent malaria species were recombinantly expressed, and the proteins were purified to homogeneity. The recombinant proteins were evaluated for their capacity to bind to human liver cell line HepG2 and to prevent P. falciparum sporozoites from invading these cells. The proteins showed significant differences in the binding and sporozoite invasion inhibition activity. Differences among proteins directly correlate with changes in the binding affinity to the sporozoite receptor on liver cells. P. knowlesi CSP (PkCSP) and P. yoelii CSP (PyCSP) had 4,790- and 17,800-fold lower affinity for heparin in comparison to P. falciparum CSP (PfCSP). We suggest that a difference in the binding affinity for the liver cell receptor is a mechanism involved in maintaining the host specificity by the malaria parasite.
Description
Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278, 40905–40910
Note : if this item contains full text it may be a preprint, author manuscript, or a Gold OA copy that permits redistribution with a license such as CC BY. The final version is available through the publisher’s platform.
Full Citation
Molecular Mechanism of Host Specificity in Plasmodium Falciparum Infection: Role of Circumsporozoite Protein, D. Rathore, S. C. L. Hrstka, J. B. Sacci, P. de la Vega, R.J. Linhardt, S. Kumar, T.F. McCutchan, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278, 40905 – 40910, 2003.
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
219258
EISSN