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STEVOR Is a Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Binding Protein that Mediates Merozoite Invasion and Rosetting

2014; Cell Press; Volume: 16; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.chom.2014.06.004

1934-6069

Makhtar Niang, Amy K. Bei, Kripa Gopal Madnani, Shaaretha Pelly, Selasi Dankwa, Usheer Kanjee, Karthigayan Gunalan, Anburaj Amaladoss, Kim Pin Yeo, Ndeye Sakha Bob, Benoît Malleret, Manoj T. Duraisingh, Peter R. Preiser,

Vibrio bacteria research studies

Variant surface antigens play an important role in Plasmodium falciparum malaria pathogenesis and in immune evasion by the parasite. Although most work to date has focused on P. falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 (PfEMP1), two other multigene families encoding STEVOR and RIFIN are expressed in invasive merozoites and on the infected erythrocyte surface. However, their role during parasite infection remains to be clarified. Here we report that STEVOR functions as an erythrocyte-binding protein that recognizes Glycophorin C (GPC) on the red blood cell (RBC) surface and that its binding correlates with the level of GPC on the RBC surface. STEVOR expression on the RBC leads to PfEMP1-independent binding of infected RBCs to uninfected RBCs (rosette formation), while antibodies targeting STEVOR in the merozoite can effectively inhibit invasion. Our results suggest a PfEMP1-independent role for STEVOR in enabling infected erythrocytes at the schizont stage to form rosettes and in promoting merozoite invasion.