A Duffy Binding—Like Domain Is Involved in the NKp30-Mediated Recognition of Plasmodium falciparum—Parasitized Erythrocytes by Natural Killer Cells

The recent demonstration that purified natural killer (NK) cells lyse Plasmodium falciparum–parasitized red blood cells (Pf-pRBCs) suggests that innate immunity is important in malaria. NK cell killing—presumably an early host response to infection—requires intimate contact between NK natural cytoto...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 2007-05, Vol.195 (10), p.1521-1531
Main Authors: Mavoungou, Elie, Held, Jana, Mewono, Ludovic, Kremsner, Peter G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antigens
Antigens, CD - immunology
Biological and medical sciences
Cytometry
Cytotoxicity
Duffy Blood-Group System - immunology
Erythrocytes
Erythrocytes - immunology
Erythrocytes - parasitology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Immunoglobulins
Infectious diseases
Killer Cells, Natural - immunology
Ligands
Malaria, Falciparum - immunology
Medical sciences
Microbiology
Natural Cytotoxicity Triggering Receptor 3
Natural killer cells
Parasites
Parasitism
Plasmodium
Plasmodium falciparum - pathogenicity
Proteins
Receptors
Receptors, Immunologic - immunology
Recombinant Fusion Proteins - immunology
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Summary:The recent demonstration that purified natural killer (NK) cells lyse Plasmodium falciparum–parasitized red blood cells (Pf-pRBCs) suggests that innate immunity is important in malaria. NK cell killing—presumably an early host response to infection—requires intimate contact between NK natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) and ligands expressed on the surface of Pf-pRBCs. We investigated whether the Duffy binding–like (DBL)—1α domain of P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein—1 (PfEMP–1) expressed on parasitized erythrocytes rendered Pf-pRBCs susceptible to NK cell lysis. We showed that with NKp30-immunoglobulin and NKp46-immunoglobulin fusion proteins and DBL-1α peptides NCRs are involved in the NK cell—Pf-pRBC interaction. This interaction was direct, specific, and functional, leading to perforin production and granzyme B release. The prior treatment of NK cells with DBL-1α peptides abolished both this interaction and killing activity, suggesting that DBL-1α—NCRs interaction is the key recognition mechanism leading to parasite killing by NK cells.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1086/515579