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Studying the rigidity of red blood cells induced by Plasmodium falciparum infection

Apurba Paul1, Ghania Ramdani2, Utpal Tatu3

  • 1Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India.

Scientific Reports
|April 21, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Plasmodium falciparum infection increases red blood cell rigidity. This study found that elevated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels are responsible for this change in infected cells.

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Plasmodium falciparum infection alters red blood cell (RBC) properties.
  • A bystander effect has been observed in uninfected RBCs near infected cells.
  • RBC rigidity changes are critical in understanding disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of chemical moieties on RBC rigidity during P. falciparum infection.
  • To elucidate the mechanism behind the increased RBC rigidity.
  • To explore the role of intracellular signaling in altered RBC mechanics.

Main Methods:

  • Culturing Plasmodium falciparum-infected RBCs in vitro.
  • Measuring RBC rigidity using optical-tweezers to analyze Brownian fluctuations.
  • Quantifying intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels.

Main Results:

  • Infected RBCs exhibit increased rigidity compared to uninfected cells.
  • Elevated intracellular cAMP levels were observed in infected RBCs.
  • A correlation was established between increased cAMP and enhanced RBC rigidity.

Conclusions:

  • Increased intracellular cAMP is a key mediator of RBC rigidity in P. falciparum-infected cells.
  • Understanding these mechanical changes can inform therapeutic strategies.
  • Further research into chemical moieties affecting RBCs is warranted.

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