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Updated: May 19, 2026
09:57
Measuring Naturally Acquired Phagocytosis-Inducing Antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum Parasites by a Flow Cytometry-Based Assay
Published on: August 6, 2020
Synchronous versus asynchronous oscillations for antigenically varying Plasmodium falciparum with host immune
Jonathan L Mitchell1, Thomas W Carr
1Department of Mathematics, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275-0156, USA.
Journal of Biological Dynamics
|August 10, 2012
Summary
Cross-reactive immune responses in Plasmodium falciparum malaria can drive sequential variant infections. A strong variant-specific immune response promotes parasite survival and asynchronous oscillations.
Area of Science:
- Mathematical modeling
- Immunology
- Parasitic diseases
Background:
- Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria exhibits antigenic variation in PfEMP1 proteins.
- Host immune responses (IR) are crucial in controlling malaria infections.
- Sequential dominance of Pf variants is a hallmark of chronic infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of specific and cross-reactive immune responses in the dynamics of Pf malaria.
- To model how antigenic variation and host immunity lead to sequential variant infections.
- To explore the impact of immune response delays on parasite persistence.
Main Methods:
- Development of a deterministic intra-host model for Pf malaria.
- Inclusion of n clonal PfEMP1 variants and distinct host immune response components (specific and cross-reactive).
- Analysis of model dynamics under varying IR strengths and introduction of delays.
Main Results:
- Cross-reactive IR can act as a mechanism for the sequential appearance of Pf variants.
- A strong variant-specific IR relative to cross-reactive IR favors asynchronous (sequential) over synchronous oscillations.
- Asynchronous oscillations exhibit a smaller decay rate, promoting longer parasite survival.
- Small delays in IR stimulation can induce persistent asynchronous oscillations.
- Stronger variant-specific IR amplifies the amplitude of asynchronous oscillations.
Conclusions:
- Cross-reactive immunity is a key factor in the sequential dynamics of Pf malaria.
- Immune response characteristics, including specificity and timing, significantly influence parasite persistence and variant succession.
- Mathematical modeling provides insights into the complex interplay between parasite evasion and host immunity in malaria.
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