Open AccessStrain‐specific spleen remodelling in Plasmodium yoelii infections in Balb/c mice facilitates adherence and spleen macrophage‐clearance escape
Author(s) -
MartinJaular Lorena,
Ferrer Mireia,
Calvo Maria,
RosanasUrgell Anna,
Kalko Susana,
Graewe Stefanie,
Soria Guadalupe,
Cortadellas Núria,
Ordi Jaume,
Planas Anna,
Burns James,
Heussler Volker,
del Portillo Hernando A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
cellular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.542
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1462-5822
pISSN - 1462-5814
DOI - 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2010.01523.x
Subject(s) - spleen , plasmodium yoelii , biology , red pulp , malaria , macrophage , immunology , marginal zone , virology , pathology , plasmodium falciparum , parasitemia , antibody , in vitro , medicine , biochemistry , b cell
Summary Knowledge of the dynamic features of the processes driven by malaria parasites in the spleen is lacking. To gain insight into the function and structure of the spleen in malaria, we have implemented intravital microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging of the mouse spleen in experimental infections with non‐lethal (17X) and lethal (17XL) Plasmodium yoelii strains. Noticeably, there was higher parasite accumulation, reduced motility, loss of directionality, increased residence time and altered magnetic resonance only in the spleens of mice infected with 17X. Moreover, these differences were associated with the formation of a strain‐specific induced spleen tissue barrier of fibroblastic origin, with red pulp macrophage‐clearance evasion and with adherence of infected red blood cells to this barrier. Our data suggest that in this reticulocyte‐prone non‐lethal rodent malaria model, passage through the spleen is different from what is known in other Plasmodium species and open new avenues for functional/structural studies of this lymphoid organ in malaria.