SHORT REPORT - INVOLVEMENT OF MACROPHAGE SCAVENGER RECEPTORS IN PROTECTION AGAINST MURINE MALARIA

Macrophage scavenger receptor A (MSR-A) deficient mice MSR-A(-/-) were infected by the intraperitoneal injection of the Plasmodium berghei N K65 strain in the erythrocytic stage. The MSR-A(-/-) mice died signifi cantly earlier than the control mice (P = 0.060). In the surviving mic e, two peaks of parasitemia were observed: the first 5-7 days and the second at 2-3 weeks after infection. Death of all MSR-A(-/-) mice occu rred at either peak of parasitemia, suggesting that MSR-A protects mic e from severe infection. This model may be useful for the study of mol ecular mechanisms of macrophage functions in malaria infection.