Research Article

Mass spectrometric analysis of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 variants expressed by placental malaria parasites

  1. Michal Fried1,*,
  2. Jason P. Wendler1,
  3. Theonest K. Mutabingwa2,
  4. Patrick E. Duffy1,3

Article first published online: 6 FEB 2004

DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200300666

Issue

PROTEOMICS

PROTEOMICS

Volume 4, Issue 4, pages 1086–1093, April 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Fried, M., Wendler, J. P., Mutabingwa, T. K. and Duffy, P. E. (2004), Mass spectrometric analysis of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 variants expressed by placental malaria parasites. PROTEOMICS, 4: 1086–1093. doi: 10.1002/pmic.200300666

Author Information

  1. 1

    Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA

  2. 2

    Gates Malaria Partnership, Muheza Designated District Hospital, Tanzania

  3. 3

    Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

*Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, 4 Nickerson St., Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA Fax: +1-206-284-0313

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 MAR 2004
  2. Article first published online: 6 FEB 2004
  3. Manuscript Received: 7 AUG 2003

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Keywords:

  • Membrane protein;
  • PfEMP1;
  • Placental malaria;
  • Plasmodium falciparum;
  • Var gene family

Abstract

Surface proteins from Plasmodium falciparum are important malaria vaccine targets. However, the surface proteins previously identified are highly variant and difficult to study. We used tandem mass spectrometry to characterize the variant antigens (Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1)) expressed on the surface of malaria-infected erythrocytes that bind to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) in the placenta. Whereas PfEMP1 variants previously implicated as CSA ligands were detected, in unselected parasites four novel variants were detected in CSA-binding or placental parasites but not in unselected parasites. These novel PfEMP1 variants require further study to confirm whether they play a role in placental malaria.

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