Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scientists may have found a potential breakthrough in the fight against malaria. Their research, published in the iScience journal by Cell Press, zeroes in on a protein called Prohibitin found in the malaria parasite.
Malaria, a deadly disease transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, has claimed millions of lives, especially in India. Despite efforts to control it, the World Health Organization’s 2022 report paints a grim picture, with 249 million cases and 60,800 deaths globally.
The parasite’s knack for developing resistance to anti-malarial drugs and the lack of an effective vaccine have hindered efforts to combat the disease.
Led by Professors Shailja Singh and Anand Ranganathan at JNU’s Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, the research uncovers a new set of interactions between hosts and parasites crucial for vaccine development.
“In our study, we identified a novel PHB2-Hsp70A1A receptor ligand pair that aids the parasite’s infection process inside the human host. This makes the parasite protein PHB2 a strong vaccine candidate,” explained Prof. Shailja Singh.
Prohibitins are a group of proteins critical for various cellular functions like mitochondrial activity and regulating the cell cycle.
The researchers discovered that the PfPHB2 protein on the merozoite surface interacts with the heat-shock protein Hsp70A1A on the surface of red blood cells. Interestingly, treatment with antibodies disrupted this interaction, halting parasite growth entirely. Furthermore, patients with active malaria in the Tripura region, where malaria is endemic, were found to have antibodies against PfPHB2.
“The presence of PfPHB2 antibodies marks a promising step forward in malaria therapeutic development,” said Manisha Marothia, a Ph.D. student and the study’s first author. Professors Anand and Shailja reaffirmed their dedication to eradicating malaria, stating, “As scientists, our goal of malaria elimination remains unwavering.”
The research faced a brief setback due to the Covid pandemic, which surged cases and deaths. However, the team remains hopeful that studies using mouse models will confirm their findings. Previously, the JNU team also discovered a new approach to combat malaria by targeting host lipids with an anti-tumor drug. Lipids, crucial cell components, are targeted by the malaria parasite for its growth and development.
-Raja Aditya
