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Immunosuppression in Malaria: Do Plasmodium falciparum Parasites Hijack the Host? Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10101277. [PMID: 34684226 PMCID: PMC8536967 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria reflects not only a state of immune activation, but also a state of general immune defect or immunosuppression, of complex etiology that can last longer than the actual episode. Inhabitants of malaria-endemic regions with lifelong exposure to the parasite show an exhausted or immune regulatory profile compared to non- or minimally exposed subjects. Several studies and experiments to identify and characterize the cause of this malaria-related immunosuppression have shown that malaria suppresses humoral and cellular responses to both homologous (Plasmodium) and heterologous antigens (e.g., vaccines). However, neither the underlying mechanisms nor the relative involvement of different types of immune cells in immunosuppression during malaria is well understood. Moreover, the implication of the parasite during the different stages of the modulation of immunity has not been addressed in detail. There is growing evidence of a role of immune regulators and cellular components in malaria that may lead to immunosuppression that needs further research. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on how malaria parasites may directly and indirectly induce immunosuppression and investigate the potential role of specific cell types, effector molecules and other immunoregulatory factors.
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Increase hemoglobin level in severe malarial anemia while controlling parasitemia: A mathematical model. Math Biosci 2020; 326:108374. [PMID: 32416085 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2020.108374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine produced by immune cells; it can play a protective or deleterious role in response to pathogens. The intracellular malaria parasite secretes a similar protein, PMIF. The present paper is concerned with severe malarial anemia (SMA), where MIF suppresses the recruitment of red blood cells (RBCs) from the spleen and the bone marrow. This suppression results in a decrease of the hemoglobin (Hb) in the blood to a dangerous level. Indeed, SMA is responsible for the majority of death-related malaria cases. Artesunate is the first line of treatment of SMA; it accelerates the death of infected RBCs (iRBCs), thereby decreasing parasitemia. However, artesunate does not increase the level of Hb, and, in some cases, post-artesunate hemolytic anemia requires blood transfusion. In order to avoid this situation, we explore combining artesunate with another drug so that the Hb level is increased to healthy levels while parasitemia is still controlled. In this paper we show, by a mathematical model, that increasing the Hb levels while controlling parasitemia in malarial anemia can be done with the experimental drug Epoxyazadiradione (Epoxy) in combination with artesunate. Epoxy acts as MIF inhibitor and thus has the potential to increase the Hb level. Simulations of the model show that the two drugs compliment each other: while artesunate is primarily responsible for decreasing parasitemia, Epoxy is primarily responsible for increasing the hemoglobin level.
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Sparkes A, De Baetselier P, Roelants K, De Trez C, Magez S, Van Ginderachter JA, Raes G, Bucala R, Stijlemans B. Reprint of: The non-mammalian MIF superfamily. Immunobiology 2017; 222:858-867. [PMID: 28552269 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was first described as a cytokine 50 years ago, and emerged in mammals as a pleiotropic protein with pro-inflammatory, chemotactic, and growth-promoting activities. In addition, MIF has gained substantial attention as a pivotal upstream mediator of innate and adaptive immune responses and with pathologic roles in several diseases. Of less importance in mammals is an intrinsic but non-physiologic enzymatic activity that points to MIF's evolution from an ancient defense molecule. Therefore, it is not surprising that mif-like genes also have been found across a range of different organisms including bacteria, plants, protozoa, helminths, molluscs, arthropods, fish, amphibians and birds. While Genebank analysis identifying mif-like genes across species is extensive, contained herein is an overview of the non-mammalian MIF-like proteins that have been most well studied experimentally. For many of these organisms, MIF contributes to an innate defense system or plays a role in development. For parasitic organisms however, MIF appears to function as a virulence factor aiding in the establishment or persistence of infection by modulating the host immune response. Consequently, a combined targeting of both parasitic and host MIF could lead to more effective treatment strategies for parasitic diseases of socioeconomic importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Sparkes
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Patrick De Baetselier
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kim Roelants
- Amphibian Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carl De Trez
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; VIB Structural Biology Research Center, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stefan Magez
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; VIB Structural Biology Research Center, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Yeonsu-Gu, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Jo A Van Ginderachter
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Raes
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Richard Bucala
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Benoît Stijlemans
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.
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Sparkes A, De Baetselier P, Roelants K, De Trez C, Magez S, Van Ginderachter JA, Raes G, Bucala R, Stijlemans B. The non-mammalian MIF superfamily. Immunobiology 2017; 222:473-482. [PMID: 27780588 PMCID: PMC5293613 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was first described as a cytokine 50 years ago, and emerged in mammals as a pleiotropic protein with pro-inflammatory, chemotactic, and growth-promoting activities. In addition, MIF has gained substantial attention as a pivotal upstream mediator of innate and adaptive immune responses and with pathologic roles in several diseases. Of less importance in mammals is an intrinsic but non-physiologic enzymatic activity that points to MIF's evolution from an ancient defense molecule. Therefore, it is not surprising that mif-like genes also have been found across a range of different organisms including bacteria, plants, protozoa, helminths, molluscs, arthropods, fish, amphibians and birds. While Genebank analysis identifying mif-like genes across species is extensive, contained herein is an overview of the non-mammalian MIF-like proteins that have been most well studied experimentally. For many of these organisms, MIF contributes to an innate defense system or plays a role in development. For parasitic organisms however, MIF appears to function as a virulence factor aiding in the establishment or persistence of infection by modulating the host immune response. Consequently, a combined targeting of both parasitic and host MIF could lead to more effective treatment strategies for parasitic diseases of socioeconomic importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Sparkes
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Gent, Belgium
| | - Patrick De Baetselier
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Gent, Belgium
| | - Kim Roelants
- Amphibian Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carl De Trez
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; VIB Structural Biology Research Center, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stefan Magez
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; VIB Structural Biology Research Center, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Yeonsu-Gu, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Jo A Van Ginderachter
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Gent, Belgium
| | - Geert Raes
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Gent, Belgium
| | - Richard Bucala
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Benoît Stijlemans
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Gent, Belgium.
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