Longitudinal analysis of Plasmodium sporozoite motility in the dermis reveals component of blood vessel recognition

Malaria infection starts with injection of Plasmodium sporozoites by an Anopheles mosquito into the skin of the mammalian host. How sporozoites locate and enter a blood vessel is a critical, but poorly understood process. In this study, we examine sporozoite motility and their interaction with derma...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:eLife 2015-08, Vol.4
Main Authors: Hopp, Christine S, Chiou, Kevin, Ragheb, Daniel R T, Salman, Ahmed M, Khan, Shahid M, Liu, Andrea J, Sinnis, Photini
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anopheles - parasitology
Blood Vessels - parasitology
Dermis - parasitology
Disease Models, Animal
gliding motility
Locomotion
malaria
Malaria - parasitology
Mice
Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Microscopy
Plasmodium
Plasmodium - physiology
skin
sporozoite
Sporozoites - physiology
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Summary:Malaria infection starts with injection of Plasmodium sporozoites by an Anopheles mosquito into the skin of the mammalian host. How sporozoites locate and enter a blood vessel is a critical, but poorly understood process. In this study, we examine sporozoite motility and their interaction with dermal blood vessels, using intravital microscopy in mice. Our data suggest that sporozoites exhibit two types of motility: in regions far from blood vessels, they exhibit 'avascular motility', defined by high speed and less confinement, while in the vicinity of blood vessels their motility is more constrained. We find that curvature of sporozoite tracks engaging with vasculature optimizes contact with dermal capillaries. Imaging of sporozoites with mutations in key adhesive proteins highlight the importance of the sporozoite's gliding speed and its ability to modulate adhesive properties for successful exit from the inoculation site.
ISSN:2050-084X
2050-084X
DOI:10.7554/eLife.07789