Malaria susceptibility and CD36 mutation

A critical step in infection by Plasmodium falciparum, the microorganism that causes the most severe form of malaria, is the adhesion of parasitized red blood cells to capillary endothelium. The human protein CD36 is a major receptor for P. falciparum-infected red blood cells and may contribute to t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 2000-06, Vol.405 (6790), p.1015-1016
Main Authors: AITMAN, T. J, COOPER, L. D, HILL, A. V, SCOTT, J, NORSWORTHY, P. J, WAHID, F. N, GRAY, J. K, CURTIS, B. R, MCKEIGUE, P. M, KWIATKOWSKI, D, GREENWOOD, B. M, SNOW, R. W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
African Americans
African Continental Ancestry Group - genetics
Alleles
Asia
Biological and medical sciences
CD36 antigen
CD36 Antigens - genetics
CD36 Antigens - immunology
Gambia
Gene Frequency
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
Human protozoal diseases
Humans
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Infectious diseases
Kenya
Malaria
Malaria - genetics
Malaria - immunology
Medical sciences
Mutation
Parasitic diseases
Plasmodium falciparum
Protozoal diseases
Selection, Genetic
Tropical medicine
United States
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Summary:A critical step in infection by Plasmodium falciparum, the microorganism that causes the most severe form of malaria, is the adhesion of parasitized red blood cells to capillary endothelium. The human protein CD36 is a major receptor for P. falciparum-infected red blood cells and may contribute to the disease by sequestering infected red blood cells and inhibiting the immune response to the parasite. We have found that African populations contain an exceptionally high frequency of mutations in CD36. Unexpectedly, these mutations that cause CD36 deficiency are associated with susceptibility to severe malaria, suggesting that the presence of distinct CD36 mutations in Africans and Asians is due to some selection pressure other than malaria.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/35016636