Posted by 
According to a study by Peter Preiser of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Jianzhu Chen of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and colleagues malaria-infected red blood cells trigger the immune system’s main defense by releasing small vesicles that activate a pathogen recognition receptor-MDA5.
Malaria is caused by parasitic microorganisms that belong to the genus Plasmodium, natural killer cells are important immune cells that provide the first line of defense against malaria infection but show significant differences in their responses in the human population.
The molecular mechanisms through which natural killer cells are activated by parasites and the molecular basis underlying the variation in natural killer cell responses to malaria infection in the human population are unknown. Researchers analyzed transcriptional differences between human natural killer cells that respond and don’t respond to malaria infection.
Natural killer cells that responded to Plasmodium-infected red blood cells had higher levels of MDA5, which was activated by small vesicles released from the infected cells. Treatment with a small molecule that activated MAD5 restored the ability of non-responder natural killer cells to clear infected red blood cells.
The findings showed that MDA5 could contribute to variation in natural killer cell responses to malaria infection in human. Moreover, the study provides new insights into a mechanism by which natural killer cells are activated by parasites and reveals a possible molecular target to control malaria infection in human.
haleplushearty.orgÂ