Interactions of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes with ligand-coated agarose beads

The binding of normal and Plasmodium falciparum-infected squirrel monkey erythrocytes to columns of ligand-coated agarose beads was compared. Concanavalin A, ricin, soybean and peanut agglutinin-coated beads retain erythrocytes containing large developmental stages of the parasite preferentially to ring-containing erythrocytes or to normal erythrocytes. Binding is inhibited by the sugar corresponding to the lectin's specificity. Preferential binding does not occur with wheat germ or Ulex europaeus agglutinin-coated beads. When infected blood is preincubated in immune serum, infected erythrocytes are specifically retained by Protein A-coated beads. These peculiar binding properties reflect modifications of the infected erythrocyte membrane.