A malaria gametocytocidal assay using oxidoreduction indicator, alamarBlue

• Published in: Molecular and biochemical parasitology 2011-06, Vol.177 (2), p.160-163
• Main Authors: Tanaka, Takeshi Q, Williamson, Kim C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AlamarBlue; antimalarials; Antimalarials - pharmacology; Artemisinins - pharmacology; Cell Survival - drug effects; Drug screening; fluorescence; Gametocyte; Inhibitory Concentration 50; malaria; Oligopeptides - pharmacology; Oxazines - metabolism; Oxidation-Reduction; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests - methods; parasitology; Plasmodium - drug effects; Plasmodium falciparum; Primaquine - pharmacology; Staining and Labeling - methods; viability; Xanthenes - metabolism
• ISSN: 0166-6851; 1872-9428
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2011.02.005

. An efficient and reliable gametocytocidal drug screening assay was developed using cell viability marker, alamarBlue. [Display omitted] ► Inhibition data from alamarBlue assays are similar to traditional optical assays. ►Assay time for 96 samples is decreased from 10h to 1min. ► Reproducibility is increased. ► Any parasite line, including field isolates, can be tested for drug sensitivity. Efforts to move from malaria control to eradication will require new approaches to block malaria transmission, such as the development of anti-malarial drugs with gametocytocidal activity. Here fluorescent oxidoreduction indicator alamarBlue is used to develop a screen for gametocyte viability. The fluorescent signal increases linearly with gametocyte number (R2=0.99) and determination of the IC50 of epoxomicin demonstrated the assay was reproducible and sensitive (IC50 2.16±0.57nM, Z′-factor 0.81±0.01). Six anti-malarials were also tested and at 10μM only primaquine and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) had gametocytocidal activity. This new assay provides an important tool to efficiently screen compounds for gametocytocidal activity.