M. Moumaris et al., EFFECT OF FATTY-ACID TREATMENT IN CEREBRAL MALARIA-SUSCEPTIBLE AND NONSUSCEPTIBLE STRAINS OF MICE, The Journal of parasitology, 81(6), 1995, pp. 997-999
Cerebral malaria-susceptible (C57BL/6) mice infected with Plasmodium b
erghei ANKA (PbA) developed low parasitemia and died from typical neur
ological symptoms between 8 to 10 days after infection. In contrast, n
onsusceptible (BALB/c) mice developed high peripheral blood parasitemi
a and died 22-24 days later without neurological implications. Daily i
njections of fatty acids (FA) during the first 3 days after infection
protected C57BL/6 mice from cerebral symptoms but had no effect on BAL
B/c mice. Thus, treated C57BL/6 mice developed hyperparasitemia and di
ed 25 days after infection, like BALB/c mice. Red blood cells from C57
BL/6 control mice were found to be more resistant to lysis by linoleic
acid than those of BALB/c mice. Three days following infection with P
bA, these differences disappeared. Treatment with FA prevented these c
hanges. We concluded that the host's cells were altered soon after inf
ection and that the nature and degree of alterations depended on the m
ouse strain, thus determining the eventual outcome of the infection. L
ikewise, the effects of FA might not be directed against the parasite
but rather seem to act early after infection on these parasite-induced
modifications of host cells.