Visual Detection of Malaria Parasite-Parasitized Erythroblasts in Peripheral Blood via Immunization-Based Model
Kumpei Ito1, Yuki S Tateishi1, Takashi Imai1,2,3,4,5
1Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS), Tokyo 162-0052, Japan.
Background:
Erythroblasts have recently been identified as host cells for malarial parasites, revealing a previously underappreciated host-parasite interaction. However, their extremely low abundance in peripheral blood has hindered progress, especially in elucidating the biological significance of parasitized erythroblasts (pEBs) in vivo.
Methods:
Here, we visualized pEBs in a murine model and established a method to increase their number in peripheral blood by immunizing mice with live Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL, followed by challenge with P. berghei ANKA.
Results:
Immunized mice were protected from cerebral malaria and survived longer, during which pEBs appeared in circulation and were detected using Giemsa-stained smears. All blood-stage parasite forms were identified within pEBs, including enucleating erythroblasts.
Conclusions:
This model enables in vivo/ex vivo analysis of pEB biology without bone marrow/spleen isolation, thus lowering technical/ethical barriers for the field.
