Antigen Presentation in Cerebral Malaria Pathogenesis:  A Role for Brain Microvascular Endothelium and Microparticles

Project Member(s): Combes, V., Saunders, B.

Funding or Partner Organisation: National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC Project Grants)

Start year: 2016

Summary: The proposed project therefore aims to understand a new cellular process and pathway in immunopathogenesis and antigen presentation in CM. We hypothesise that (i) after interaction with malaria parasite-infected erythrocytes, brain EC activate T lymphocytes by acting as “non-professional” antigen presenting cells and (ii) MP produced by infected erythrocytes, which contain parasite material, are taken up by brain EC and/or dendritic cells that then present parasite antigens to T cells. AIM 1. Determine the relative abilities of brain EC and dendritic cells to present antigens to T lymphocytes AIM 2. Delineate MP involvement in the immune response during malaria infection AIM 3. Determine the pathogenic consequences of the close interactions between MPs, infected erythrocytes and T lymphocytes at the level of brain EC

Keywords: cerebral malaria, microparticles, endothelial cells, antigen presentation

FOR Codes: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified, Infectious Diseases, Other biological sciences not elsewhere classified , Clinical health

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.