MULTIORGAN ERYTHROCYTE SEQUESTRATION AND LIGAND EXPRESSION IN RHESUS-MONKEYS INFECTED WITH PLASMODIUM-COATNEYI MALARIA

The pathogenesis of human cerebral malaria is suspected to be caused b y blockage of cerebral microvessels by the sequestration of parasitize d human red blood cells (PRBC). Examination of infected tissues indica te PRBC sequestration in microvessels is the result of PRBC knob attac hment to endothelial cell surface cytoadherence receptors such as CD36 , thrombospondin (TSP), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) . In lieu of fresh human tissue, several animal models for human cereb ral malaria have been developed, the Plasmodium coatneyi-infected rhes us monkey model being the most versatile. To further the understanding of noncerebral malarial complications during disease, we examined non cerebral tissues of infected rhesus monkeys. Our study demonstrated si milar microvessel PRBC sequestration and the presence of cytoadherence ligands in noncerebral tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis showed C D36, TSP, and ICAM-1 cytoadherence proteins in several major organs.