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Carrageenans inhibit the in vitro growth of Plasmodium falciparum and cytoadhesion to CD36

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Abstract

Carbohydrates are implicated in many of the invasive and adhesive interactions that occur between Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites and human host cells, including invasion of sporozoites into hepatocytes, entry of merozoites into new host erythrocytes during asexual blood-stage replication, adhesion of infected erythrocytes to uninfected erythrocytes (rosetting) and to a number of host endothelial receptors including ICAM-1, CD36 and chondroitin-4-sulphate. In addition to increasing our understanding of host–parasite interactions, the investigation of carbohydrates with differing levels and patterns of sulphation as inhibitors may contribute to the development of novel therapeutics targeting malaria. Here we show that three polysaccharides derived from seaweed (carrageenans) with differing sulphation levels and patterns can inhibit the in vitro erythrocytic invasion and growth of both drug sensitive and drug resistant P. falciparum lines and the adhesion of parasitized erythrocytes to the human glycoprotein CD36.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Nirmala Pandeya for assistance with the statistical analysis and the Brisbane Red Cross Blood Service for supplying blood and sera. This work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) SFB 544 “Control of Tropical infectious Diseases”. Yvonne Adams was partially funded by Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hygiene-Institut, Abteilung Parasitologie, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Yvonne Adams

  2. School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, QLD 4111, Australia

    Simone L. Smith

  3. Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Tumorimmunologie, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Reinhard Schwartz-Albiez

  4. Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Clinical Tropical Medicine laboratory, Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health and Nutrition (ACITHN), Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia

    Katherine T. Andrews

Authors
  1. Yvonne Adams
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  2. Simone L. Smith
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  3. Reinhard Schwartz-Albiez
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  4. Katherine T. Andrews
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Correspondence to Katherine T. Andrews.

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Adams, Y., Smith, S.L., Schwartz-Albiez, R. et al. Carrageenans inhibit the in vitro growth of Plasmodium falciparum and cytoadhesion to CD36. Parasitol Res 97, 290–294 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-1426-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-1426-3

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