Article
Insights into the Cytoadherence Phenomenon of Plasmodium vivax: The Putative Role of Phosphatidylserine
Registration in:
TOTINO, Paulo Renato; LOPES, Stefanie Costa. Insights into the Cytoadherence Phenomenon of Plasmodium vivax: the Putative Role of Phosphatidylserine. Frontiers in Immunology, v.8, Article 1148, 6p, Sept. 2017.
1664-3224
10.3389/fimmu.2017.01148
Author
Totino, Paulo Renato
Lopes, Stefanie Costa
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread and the dominant human malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa and, although it was classically recognized to cause benign infection, severe cases and deaths caused byP. vivaxhave remarkably been reported. In contrast toPlasmodium falciparum, which well-known ability to bind to endothelium and placental tissue and form rosettes is related to severity of the disease, it has been a dogma thatP. vivaxis unable to undergo cytoadherent phenomena. However, some studies have demonstrated that red blood cells (RBCs) infected byP. vivaxcan cytoadhere to host cells, while the molecules participating in this host-parasite interaction are still a matter of speculation. In the present overview, we address the evidences currently supporting the adhesive profile ofP. vivaxand, additionally, discuss the putative role of phosphatidylserine-a cell membrane phospholipid with cytoadhesive properties that has been detected on the surface ofPlasmodium-parasitized RBCs.