Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Detection of Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptotic Cell Death in Murine Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages
06:52

Detection of Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptotic Cell Death in Murine Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages

Published on: May 21, 2018

Malarial hemozoin is a Nalp3 inflammasome activating danger signal

Catherine Dostert1, Greta Guarda, Jackeline F Romero

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.

Plos One
|August 5, 2009
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Malaria parasite byproduct, hemozoin, activates the Nalp3 inflammasome, a key inflammatory pathway. This activation may contribute to severe malaria pathologies like cerebral malaria.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Malaria symptoms like fever and neurodegeneration are linked to hyperactive Nalp3 inflammasome.
  • Plasmodium parasites produce hemozoin from heme detoxification during hemoglobin breakdown in red blood cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if hemozoin activates the Nalp3 inflammasome.
  • To explore the role of hemozoin-induced inflammasome activation in malaria pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro experiments to assess hemozoin's effect on Nalp3 inflammasome activation.
  • In vivo studies using mouse models, including Nalp3-, caspase-1-, and IL-1R-deficient mice.
  • Analysis of peritonitis and cerebral malaria development after hemozoin administration or Plasmodium infection.

Main Results:

  • Hemozoin acts as a proinflammatory danger signal, activating the Nalp3 inflammasome and inducing IL-1beta release.
  • Hemozoin's inflammasome-activating properties are dependent on phagocytosis, K(+) efflux, and NADPH oxidase.
  • In vivo, hemozoin triggers acute peritonitis, which is reduced in deficient mice.
  • Nalp3 deficiency dampens cerebral malaria pathogenesis without affecting parasitemia.

Conclusions:

  • Hemozoin potently activates the Nalp3 inflammasome, suggesting its role in malaria-associated inflammation.
  • Inflammasome activation by hemozoin may contribute to severe complications like cerebral malaria.

More Related Videos

Activation and Measurement of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activity Using IL-1β in Human Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells09:04

Activation and Measurement of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activity Using IL-1β in Human Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells

Published on: May 22, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Malaria01:29

Malaria

Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
Amebiasis01:28

Amebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...