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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
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A Simple Protocol for Platelet-mediated Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Erythrocytes in a Resource Poor Setting
Published on: May 16, 2013
Rosetting in Plasmodium falciparum: a cytoadherence phenotype with multiple actors.
O Mercereau-Puijalon1, M Guillotte, I Vigan-Womas
1Unité d'immunologie moléculaire des parasites, Institut Pasteur, 28, rue du Docteur-Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France. omp@pasteur.fr
Summary
Plasmodium falciparum rosetting, where infected red blood cells bind uninfected ones, is linked to severe malaria. Understanding the interactions between parasite proteins and red blood cell receptors is key to combating this severe malaria complication.
Area of Science:
- Malariology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Rosetting of Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells is associated with high parasite density and severe malaria in African children.
- This phenomenon involves interactions between infected erythrocytes, uninfected erythrocytes, and various host and parasite factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize field study associations and experimental models of rosetting.
- To identify key molecular players involved in rosetting.
- To highlight areas for future research to clarify rosetting's role in malaria pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Review of field studies investigating rosetting associations.
- Description of experimental models developed to study rosetting.
- Identification of erythrocyte receptors, serum factors, and PfEMP1 adhesins involved in rosetting.
Main Results:
- Multiple erythrocyte receptors, serum factors, and PfEMP1 adhesins mediating rosetting have been identified.
- Each Plasmodium falciparum genome contains multiple var genes encoding distinct rosette-forming PfEMP1 adhesins.
- Human erythrocyte surface polymorphisms significantly affect rosette formation.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to elucidate the fine specificity and binding affinity of ligand/receptor interactions in rosetting.
- Assessing the impact of parasite variant repertoire polymorphism is crucial for understanding rosetting's role in malaria.
- Rosetting likely plays a role in life-threatening falciparum malaria, influenced by host genetic factors.
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