The Role Of Duffy And PF4 In The Platelet Killing Of Malaria Parasites.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,045.00
Summary
Platelets in the blood can kill the Plasmodium parasite, which lives inside red blood cells and causes malaria. Platelets bind parasite-infected red cells and release a molecule that is toxic to the parasite. This project will study why a red cell molecule called Duffy is also needed for this function of platelets. Most Africans carry a gene for Duffy that stops its expression in red cells, and may therefore be more susceptible to malaria because their platelets cannot kill the malaria parasite.
Analysing the protective role of platelets during malaria infection. Platelets protect the host during malarial infection. This project aims to study how platelets kill the malaria parasite by investigating the role of host molecules and their potential as novel antimalarial agents. The role of platelets in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria syndrome will also be investigated.