1. NK cells inhibit Plasmodium falciparum growth in red blood cells via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity
- Author
-
Gunjan Arora, Geoffrey T Hart, Javier Manzella-Lapeira, Justin YA Doritchamou, David L Narum, L Michael Thomas, Joseph Brzostowski, Sumati Rajagopalan, Ogobara K Doumbo, Boubacar Traore, Louis H Miller, Susan K Pierce, Patrick E Duffy, Peter D Crompton, Sanjay A Desai, and Eric O Long
- Subjects
Human ,P.falciparum ,ADCC ,NK ,RBC ,Medicine ,Science ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Antibodies acquired naturally through repeated exposure to Plasmodium falciparum are essential in the control of blood-stage malaria. Antibody-dependent functions may include neutralization of parasite–host interactions, complement activation, and activation of Fc receptor functions. A role of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by natural killer (NK) cells in protection from malaria has not been established. Here we show that IgG isolated from adults living in a malaria-endemic region activated ADCC by primary human NK cells, which lysed infected red blood cells (RBCs) and inhibited parasite growth in an in vitro assay for ADCC-dependent growth inhibition. RBC lysis by NK cells was highly selective for infected RBCs in a mixed culture with uninfected RBCs. Human antibodies to P. falciparum antigens PfEMP1 and RIFIN were sufficient to promote NK-dependent growth inhibition. As these results implicate acquired immunity through NK-mediated ADCC, antibody-based vaccines that target bloodstream parasites should consider this new mechanism of action.
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF