The malarial protein Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (
PfEMP1) is a parasite protein that is exported to the surface of the infect
ed erythrocyte, where it is inserted into the red cell cytoskeleton in the
second half of the parasite life cycle. The surface expression of PfEMP1 co
incides with the occurrence of the adhesion of infected erythrocytes to vas
cular endothelium. This protein has been shown to interact with CD36, inter
cellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and chondroitin sulfate A (CSA). In t
his study, it is demonstrated by affinity purification and western blot ana
lysis that PfEMP1 also functions as a cell surface ligand for P-selectin, a
n adhesion molecule that has been shown to mediate the rolling of infected
erythrocytes under physiologic flow conditions, leading to a significant In
crease in adhesion to CD36 on activated platelets and microvascular endothe
lium. (C) 2001 by The American Society of Hematology.