抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1（PfPMP1）与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用，在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员，通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。

疟原虫var基因转换速率变化导致抗原变异[英]／Paul H, Robert P, Christodoulou Z, et al//Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

BIOE 402. Medical Technology Assessment. 2 or 3 hours. Bioentrepreneur course. Assessment of medical technology in the context of commercialization. Objectives, competition, market share, funding, pricing, manufacturing, growth, and intellectual property; many issues unique to biomedical products. Course Information: 2 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above and consent of the instructor.

“Bioinformatics” 특집을 내면서

基礎講座 電気泳動(Electrophoresis)

A comprehensive literature review identifies 1415 species of infectious organism known to be pathogenic to humans, including 217 viruses and prions, 538 bacteria and rickettsia, 307 fungi, 66 protozoa and 287 helminths. Out of these, 868 (61%) are zoonotic, that is, they can be transmitted between humans and animals, and 175 pathogenic species are associated with diseases considered to be 'emerging'. We test the hypothesis that zoonotic pathogens are more likely to be associated with emerging diseases than non-emerging ones. Out of the emerging pathogens, 132 (75%) are zoonotic, and overall, zoonotic pathogens are twice as likely to be associated with emerging diseases than non-zoonotic pathogens. However, the result varies among taxa, with protozoa and viruses particularly likely to emerge, and helminths particularly unlikely to do so, irrespective of their zoonotic status. No association between transmission route and emergence was found. This study represents the first quantitative analysis identifying risk factors for human disease emergence.

/pdf/risk-factors-for-human-disease-emergence-3z0gdrxa92.pdf

Risk factors for human disease emergence.

https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/132565.pdf

Discovery and resupply of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: A review.

Morphology represents a hitherto unexploited source of specificity in microfluidic particle separation and may serve as the basis for label-free particle fractionation. There is a wealth of morphological changes in blood cells due to a wide range of clinical conditions, diseases, medication and other factors. Also, blood-borne parasites differ in morphology from blood cells. We present the use of Deterministic Lateral Displacement to create a chip-based, label-free diagnostic tool, capable of harvesting some of the wealth of information locked away in red blood cell morphology. We also use the device to separate the parasites that cause sleeping sickness from blood.

Morphology-based sorting-blood cells and parasites

We present a simple and rapid microfluidic device capable of extracting and concentrating the parasite causing the fatal disease sleeping sickness (SS) from blood. The device is based on deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) and constructed with a single inlet with flow induced by an ordinary syringe. The simplicity is crucial as the device is intended for use in the resource depraved areas where the disease is endemic. With only one inlet an intricate design with multiple depths has been utilized to create a cell free stream from the blood plasma into which the parasites are forced and subsequently collected in a detection region. In order to maximize the sample volume up to 10 device layers were stacked on top of each other which resulted in a throughput of ∼10 μL/min. This allowed for an approximate time per test of below 15 min. (Less)

A high-throughput deterministic lateral displacement device for rapid and sensitive field-diagnosis of sleeping sickness

Defining Dr Livingstone

Malaria is still one of the most important global infectious diseases. Emergence of drug resistance and a shortage of new efficient anti-malarials continue to hamper a malaria eradication agenda. Malaria parasites are highly sensitive to changes in redox environment. Understanding the mechanisms regulating parasite redox could contribute to the design of new drugs. Malaria parasites have a complex network of redox regulatory systems housed in their cytosol, in their mitochondrion and in their plastid (apicoplast). While the role of enzymes of the thioredoxin and glutathione pathways in parasite survival have been explored, the antioxidant role of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) produced in the apicoplast has not been tested. We analysed the effects of LA depletion on mutant Plasmodium falciparum lacking the apicoplast lipoic acid protein ligase B (lipB). Our results showed a change in expression of redox regulators in the apicoplast and the cytosol. We further detected a change in parasite central carbon metabolism, with LA depletion influencing glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle activity. Importantly, abrogation of LipB impacted P. falciparum mosquito development, preventing oocyst maturation and production of infectious sporozoite stages, thus flagging LA biosynthesis as a potential target for the development of new transmission drugs.

/pdf/lipoic-acid-biosynthesis-is-essential-for-plasmodium-4l45sgbk1f.pdf

Lipoic acid biosynthesis is essential for Plasmodium falciparum transmission and influences redox response and carbon metabolism of parasite asexual blood stages

Michael P. Barrett

Papers

Morphology-based sorting-blood cells and parasites

A high-throughput deterministic lateral displacement device for rapid and sensitive field-diagnosis of sleeping sickness

Defining Dr Livingstone

Lipoic acid biosynthesis is essential for Plasmodium falciparum transmission and influences redox response and carbon metabolism of parasite asexual blood stages

Metabolomics on Integrated Circuit