A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.

The murine model of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) has been utilised extensively in recent years to study the pathogenesis of human cerebral malaria (HCM). However, it has been proposed that the aetiologies of ECM and HCM are distinct, and, consequently, no useful mechanistic insights into the...

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Main Authors: Patrick Strangward, Michael J Haley, Tovah N Shaw, Jean-Marc Schwartz, Rachel Greig, Aleksandr Mironov, J Brian de Souza, Sheena M Cruickshank, Alister G Craig, Danny A Milner, Stuart M Allan, Kevin N Couper
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-03-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1006267&type=printable
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author Patrick Strangward
Michael J Haley
Tovah N Shaw
Jean-Marc Schwartz
Rachel Greig
Aleksandr Mironov
J Brian de Souza
Sheena M Cruickshank
Alister G Craig
Danny A Milner
Stuart M Allan
Kevin N Couper
author_facet Patrick Strangward
Michael J Haley
Tovah N Shaw
Jean-Marc Schwartz
Rachel Greig
Aleksandr Mironov
J Brian de Souza
Sheena M Cruickshank
Alister G Craig
Danny A Milner
Stuart M Allan
Kevin N Couper
author_sort Patrick Strangward
collection DOAJ
description The murine model of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) has been utilised extensively in recent years to study the pathogenesis of human cerebral malaria (HCM). However, it has been proposed that the aetiologies of ECM and HCM are distinct, and, consequently, no useful mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of HCM can be obtained from studying the ECM model. Therefore, in order to determine the similarities and differences in the pathology of ECM and HCM, we have performed the first spatial and quantitative histopathological assessment of the ECM syndrome. We demonstrate that the accumulation of parasitised red blood cells (pRBCs) in brain capillaries is a specific feature of ECM that is not observed during mild murine malaria infections. Critically, we show that individual pRBCs appear to occlude murine brain capillaries during ECM. As pRBC-mediated congestion of brain microvessels is a hallmark of HCM, this suggests that the impact of parasite accumulation on cerebral blood flow may ultimately be similar in mice and humans during ECM and HCM, respectively. Additionally, we demonstrate that cerebrovascular CD8+ T-cells appear to co-localise with accumulated pRBCs, an event that corresponds with development of widespread vascular leakage. As in HCM, we show that vascular leakage is not dependent on extensive vascular destruction. Instead, we show that vascular leakage is associated with alterations in transcellular and paracellular transport mechanisms. Finally, as in HCM, we observed axonal injury and demyelination in ECM adjacent to diverse vasculopathies. Collectively, our data therefore shows that, despite very different presentation, and apparently distinct mechanisms, of parasite accumulation, there appear to be a number of comparable features of cerebral pathology in mice and in humans during ECM and HCM, respectively. Thus, when used appropriately, the ECM model may be useful for studying specific pathological features of HCM.
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spelling doaj-art-b7f72bd026ef44539bd0bcf64d00434f2025-08-20T03:26:14ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742017-03-01133e100626710.1371/journal.ppat.1006267A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.Patrick StrangwardMichael J HaleyTovah N ShawJean-Marc SchwartzRachel GreigAleksandr MironovJ Brian de SouzaSheena M CruickshankAlister G CraigDanny A MilnerStuart M AllanKevin N CouperThe murine model of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) has been utilised extensively in recent years to study the pathogenesis of human cerebral malaria (HCM). However, it has been proposed that the aetiologies of ECM and HCM are distinct, and, consequently, no useful mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of HCM can be obtained from studying the ECM model. Therefore, in order to determine the similarities and differences in the pathology of ECM and HCM, we have performed the first spatial and quantitative histopathological assessment of the ECM syndrome. We demonstrate that the accumulation of parasitised red blood cells (pRBCs) in brain capillaries is a specific feature of ECM that is not observed during mild murine malaria infections. Critically, we show that individual pRBCs appear to occlude murine brain capillaries during ECM. As pRBC-mediated congestion of brain microvessels is a hallmark of HCM, this suggests that the impact of parasite accumulation on cerebral blood flow may ultimately be similar in mice and humans during ECM and HCM, respectively. Additionally, we demonstrate that cerebrovascular CD8+ T-cells appear to co-localise with accumulated pRBCs, an event that corresponds with development of widespread vascular leakage. As in HCM, we show that vascular leakage is not dependent on extensive vascular destruction. Instead, we show that vascular leakage is associated with alterations in transcellular and paracellular transport mechanisms. Finally, as in HCM, we observed axonal injury and demyelination in ECM adjacent to diverse vasculopathies. Collectively, our data therefore shows that, despite very different presentation, and apparently distinct mechanisms, of parasite accumulation, there appear to be a number of comparable features of cerebral pathology in mice and in humans during ECM and HCM, respectively. Thus, when used appropriately, the ECM model may be useful for studying specific pathological features of HCM.https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1006267&type=printable
spellingShingle Patrick Strangward
Michael J Haley
Tovah N Shaw
Jean-Marc Schwartz
Rachel Greig
Aleksandr Mironov
J Brian de Souza
Sheena M Cruickshank
Alister G Craig
Danny A Milner
Stuart M Allan
Kevin N Couper
A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.
PLoS Pathogens
title A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.
title_full A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.
title_fullStr A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.
title_full_unstemmed A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.
title_short A quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology.
title_sort quantitative brain map of experimental cerebral malaria pathology
url https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1006267&type=printable
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