Plant Hormone Salicylic Acid Produced by a Malaria Parasite Controls Host Immunity and Cerebral Malaria Outcome

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140559
• Publication Date: 2015-10-14T18:23:32Z
• Authors: Ryuma Matsubara; Hiroka Aonuma; Mikiko Kojima; Michiru Tahara; Syed Bilal Ahmad ...; Hitoshi Sakakibara; Kisaburo Nagamune
• Keywords: Plasmodium berghei

The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii produces the plant hormone abscisic acid, but it is unclear if phytohormones are produced by malaria Plasmodium spp., most important of this phylum. Here, we report detection salicylic an immune-related phytohormone land plants, in P. berghei ANKA and T. cell lysates. However, addition acid to falciparum culture had no effect. We transfected 3D7 with nahG gene, which encodes a acid-degrading enzyme isolated from plant-infecting Pseudomonas sp., established acid-deficient mutant. mutant significantly decreased concentration parasite-synthesized prostaglandin E2, potentially modulates host immunity as adaptive evolution spp. To investigate function E2 on immunity, mutants expressing nahG. C57BL/6 mice infected transfectants developed enhanced cerebral malaria, assessed Evans blue leakage brain histological observation. nahG-transfectant also increased mortality rate mice. Prostaglandin reduced symptoms induction T helper-2 cytokines. As expected, helper-1 cytokines including interferon-γ interleukin-2 were elevated infection transfectant. Thus, may be new pathogenic factor threatening modulate immune via parasite-produced E2.