Cell
Volume 153, Issue 5, 23 May 2013, Pages 1120-1133
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Cell-Cell Communication between Malaria-Infected Red Blood Cells via Exosome-like Vesicles

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2013.04.029Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Malaria-infected red blood cells communicate using exosome-like vesicles

  • Communication via exosome-like vesicles promotes differentiation to sexual forms

  • Pathway of P. falciparum biology for survival in host and mosquito transmission

  • Identification of a pathway for development of agents to block parasite transmission

Summary

Cell-cell communication is an important mechanism for information exchange promoting cell survival for the control of features such as population density and differentiation. We determined that Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells directly communicate between parasites within a population using exosome-like vesicles that are capable of delivering genes. Importantly, communication via exosome-like vesicles promotes differentiation to sexual forms at a rate that suggests that signaling is involved. Furthermore, we have identified a P. falciparum protein, PfPTP2, that plays a key role in efficient communication. This study reveals a previously unidentified pathway of P. falciparum biology critical for survival in the host and transmission to mosquitoes. This identifies a pathway for the development of agents to block parasite transmission from the human host to the mosquito.

Cited by (0)

6

These authors contributed equally to this work

7

Present address: Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia

8

Present address: Centre for Advanced Microscopy, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia