New insights on how malaria parasites usually breakthrough red blood cells and infect fresh cells.
How do Malarial Parasites Develop Drug Resistance in Our Bodies?
The parasite Plasmodium digests hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in the blood and converts it into hemozoin, a protein indispensable for its survival.
The parasite Plasmodium digests hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in the blood and converts it into hemozoin, a protein indispensable for its survival.
‘SERA6 and SUB1 have been found to be essential for the malarial parasite to break through the internal compartment of the red blood cells. This discovery has opened new avenues to target these two proteins to develop effective antimalarial drugs.’
In order to escape red blood cells, the parasites have to break through both the internal compartment and the red cell membrane. The research team used genetic knockout experiments to show that a protein called SUB1 is essential for the parasite to break through the internal compartment, while SERA6 - which is activated by SUB1 - is essential for the parasite to break through the red blood cell membrane.
"Over 400,000 people die of malaria each year, and resistance to common antimalarial drugs is growing," says Professor Mike Blackman, Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute, who led the research. "We're studying the deadliest malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to try to find new drug targets that work in a different way to existing treatments."
Pregnant Women's Defences Deceived by Camouflaged Malarial Parasites
Researchers from Rigshospitalet – Copenhagen University Hospital – and the University of Copenhagen have discovered why malaria parasites are able to hide from the immune defences
Researchers from Rigshospitalet – Copenhagen University Hospital – and the University of Copenhagen have discovered why malaria parasites are able to hide from the immune defences
"We've already started collaborating with GSK to see if designing drugs that target these proteins could form the basis of a new antimalarial drug," says Dr. James Thomas, Crick postdoctoral scholar and joint first author of the paper.
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Indian and American Scientists Unravel Genetic Codes of Malarial Parasites
An international team of researchers have said that they have managed to unravel genetic codes of malaria-causing parasites outside the African continent.
An international team of researchers have said that they have managed to unravel genetic codes of malaria-causing parasites outside the African continent.
Source-Eurekalert
HIV Drugs May Target Malarial Parasites in the Future
Scientists have discovered that drugs used to treat HIV may also one day become lifesaving drugs targeted at parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis and malaria.
Scientists have discovered that drugs used to treat HIV may also one day become lifesaving drugs targeted at parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis and malaria.
