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Ranjit A, Wylie BJ. Malaria in Pregnancy, Current Challenges, and Emerging Prevention Strategies in a Warming Climate. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2024; 67:620-632. [PMID: 39061127 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Malaria still presents a grave threat to the health of pregnancies worldwide with prevention currently stalling as traditional control and prevention strategies are limited by both insecticide and drug resistance. Furthermore, climate change is bringing malaria to locations where it was once eradicated and intensifying malaria in other areas. Even where malaria is not currently common, obstetricians will need to understand the pathogenesis of the disease, how it is transmitted, methods for prevention and treatment in pregnancy, and promising emerging strategies such as vaccines. A renewed global response is needed for this age-old disease in which pregnancy poses specific susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anju Ranjit
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Blair J Wylie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
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Ibekpobaoku AN, Oboh MA, Faal F, Adeniji E, Ajibaye O, Idowu ET, Amambua-Ngwa A. Sub-microscopic Plasmodium falciparum infections and multiple drug resistant single nucleotide polymorphic alleles in pregnant women from southwestern Nigeria. BMC Res Notes 2024; 17:129. [PMID: 38725016 PMCID: PMC11083805 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-024-06763-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study evaluated sub-microscopic malaria infections in pregnancy using two malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (mRDTs), microscopy and RT-PCR and characterized Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (Pfdhfr) and Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthase (Pfdhps) drug resistant markers in positive samples. METHODS This was a cross sectional survey of 121 pregnant women. Participants were finger pricked, blood drops were collected for rapid diagnosis with P. falciparum histidine-rich protein 11 rapid diagnostic test kit and the ultra-sensitive Alere Pf malaria RDT, Blood smears for microscopy and dried blood spots on Whatman filter paper for molecular analysis were made. Real time PCR targeting the var acidic terminal sequence (varATS) gene of P. falciparum was carried out on a CFX 96 real time system thermocycler (BioRad) in discriminating malaria infections. For each run, laboratory strain of P. falciparum 3D7 and nuclease free water were used as positive and negative controls respectively. Additionally, High resolution melt analyses was employed for genotyping of the different drug resistance markers. RESULTS Out of one hundred and twenty-one pregnant women sampled, the SD Bioline™ Malaria Ag P.f HRP2-based malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) detected eight (0.06%) cases, the ultra-sensitive Alere™ malaria Ag P.f rapid diagnostic test mRDT had similar outcome in the same samples as detected by the HRP2-based mRDT. Microscopy and RT-PCR confirmed four out of the eight infections detected by both rapid diagnostic tests as true positive and RT-PCR further detected three false negative samples by the two mRDTs providing a sub-microscopic malaria prevalence of 3.3%. Single nucleotide polymorphism in Pfdhps gene associated with sulphadoxine resistance revealed the presence of S613 mutant genotypes in three of the seven positive isolates and isolates with mixed wild/mutant genotype at codon A613S. Furthermore, four mixed genotypes at the A581G codon were also recorded while the other Pfdhps codons (A436G, A437G and K540E) showed the presence of wild type alleles. In the Pfdhfr gene, there were mutations in 28.6%, 28.6%, and 85.7% at the I51, R59 and N108 codons respectively. Mixed wild and mutant type genotypes were also observed in 28.6% each of the N51I, and C59R codons. For the Pfcrt, two haplotypes CVMNK and CVIET were observed. The SVMNT was altogether absent. Triple mutant CVIET 1(14.3%) and triple mutant + wild genotype CVIET + CVMNK 1(14.3%) were observed. The Pfmdr1 haplotypes were single mutants YYND 1(14.3%); NFND 1(14.3%) and double mutants YFND 4(57.1%); YYDD 1(14.3%).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary A Oboh
- Medical Research Council The Gambia Unit (MRC), Banjul, Gambia.
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, USA.
- University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Nigeria.
| | - Fatou Faal
- Medical Research Council The Gambia Unit (MRC), Banjul, Gambia
| | | | - Olusola Ajibaye
- Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
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Maulina R, Qomaruddin MB, Prasetyo B, Indawati R. Maternal Complications during Pregnancy and Risk Factors for Stunting. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY RESEARCH 2024; 29:309-313. [PMID: 39100399 PMCID: PMC11296606 DOI: 10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_358_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Background Stunting can be prevented by early detection when the mother is pregnant. Early detection can be carried out by looking for risk factors of stunting during pregnancy so that interventions can be early detected. This study aims to assess complications during pregnancy (disease and infection) and risk factors associated with stunting. Materials and Methods The type of research was observational analytic with a case-control design on 450 mothers who were selected with simple random sampling (150 mothers who have stunting babies aged 0-2 months and 300 mothers who have not stunting babies aged 0-2 months in Malang Regency, Indonesia. This study used secondary data by looking at medical records, namely, laboratory examinations in the mother's book and cohort records at the public health center. This study was conducted from December 2021 to August 2022. Bivariate analysis with Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression was carried out to determine the variables that most influenced the incidence of stunting. Results The results of multivariate analysis with logistic regression of maternal complications during pregnancy, which are a risk as a factor causing stunting, are Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) (Odds Ratio [OR]: 6.36; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 2.97-13.62), coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) accompanied by pneumonia (OR: 5.12; 95% CI: 1.87-14.052), human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (OR: 4.63; 95% CI: 1.10-19.59), hepatitis B (OR: 3.97; 95% CI: 1.253-12.565), pre-eclampsia (OR: 3.88; 95% CI: 1.81-8.30), and heart disease (OR: 3.373; 95% CI: 0.99-11.40). Conclusions After recognizing the maternal factors that cause stunting, intervention should immediately be carried out on pregnant women with diseases (pre-eclampsia and heart disease) and infections (STI, COVID-19 + pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis B) to prevent stunting early.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rifzul Maulina
- Department of Midwifery, Institute Technology, Sains and Health RS Dr. Soepraoen, Malang City, East Java, Indonesia
| | - Mochammad B. Qomaruddin
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
| | - Budi Prasetyo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
| | - Rachmah Indawati
- Department of Biostatistics and Population Study, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
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Rent S, Bauserman M, Laktabai J, Tshefu AK, Taylor SM. Malaria in Pregnancy: Key Points for the Neonatologist. Neoreviews 2023; 24:e539-e552. [PMID: 37653081 DOI: 10.1542/neo.24-9-e539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
In malaria-endemic regions, infection with the malaria parasite Plasmodium during pregnancy has been identified as a key modifiable factor in preterm birth, the delivery of low-birthweight infants, and stillbirth. Compared with their nonpregnant peers, pregnant persons are at higher risk for malaria infection. Malaria infection can occur at any time during pregnancy, with negative effects for the pregnant person and the fetus, depending on the trimester in which the infection is contracted. Pregnant patients who are younger, in their first or second pregnancy, and those coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus are at increased risk for malaria. Common infection prevention measures during pregnancy include the use of insecticide-treated bed nets and the use of intermittent preventive treatment with monthly doses of antimalarials, beginning in the second trimester in pregnant patients in endemic areas. In all trimesters, artemisinin-combination therapies are the first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria, similar to treatment in nonpregnant adults. The World Health Organization recently revised its recommendations, now listing the specific medication artemether-lumefantrine as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in the first trimester. While strong prevention and detection methods exist, use of these techniques remains below global targets. Ongoing work on approaches to treatment and prevention of malaria during pregnancy remains at the forefront of global maternal child health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharla Rent
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
| | | | | | - Antoinette K Tshefu
- Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Steve M Taylor
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
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Santiago VF, Dombrowski JG, Kawahara R, Rosa-Fernandes L, Mule SN, Murillo O, Santana TV, Coutinho JVP, Macedo-da-Silva J, Lazari LC, Peixoto EPM, Ramirez MI, Larsen MR, Marinho CRF, Palmisano G. Complement System Activation Is a Plasma Biomarker Signature during Malaria in Pregnancy. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1624. [PMID: 37628675 PMCID: PMC10454407 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a public health problem in malaria-endemic areas, contributing to detrimental outcomes for both mother and fetus. Primigravida and second-time mothers are most affected by severe anemia complications and babies with low birth weight compared to multigravida women. Infected erythrocytes (IE) reach the placenta, activating the immune response by placental monocyte infiltration and inflammation. However, specific markers of MiP result in poor outcomes, such as low birth weight, and intrauterine growth restriction for babies and maternal anemia in women infected with Plasmodium falciparum are limited. In this study, we identified the plasma proteome signature of a mouse model infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA and pregnant women infected with Plasmodium falciparum infection using quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics. A total of 279 and 249 proteins were quantified in murine and human plasma samples, of which 28% and 30% were regulated proteins, respectively. Most of the regulated proteins in both organisms are involved in complement system activation during malaria in pregnancy. CBA anaphylatoxin assay confirmed the complement system activation by the increase in C3a and C4a anaphylatoxins in the infected plasma compared to non-infected plasma. Moreover, correlation analysis showed the association between complement system activation and reduced head circumference in newborns from Pf-infected mothers. The data obtained in this study highlight the correlation between the complement system and immune and newborn outcomes resulting from malaria in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Feijoli Santiago
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Jamille Gregorio Dombrowski
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Rebeca Kawahara
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- Analytical Glycoimmunology Group, Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Livia Rosa-Fernandes
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Simon Ngao Mule
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Oscar Murillo
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- Department of Pulmonary Immunology, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Texas Health Center Science at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - Thais Viggiani Santana
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Joao Victor Paccini Coutinho
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Janaina Macedo-da-Silva
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Lucas Cardoso Lazari
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Erika Paula Machado Peixoto
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Marcel Ivan Ramirez
- Cell Biology Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Fiocruz, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
| | - Martin R. Larsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- Analytical Glycoimmunology Group, Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
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Mondeilh A, Yovo E, Accrombessi M, Hounkonnou C, Agbota G, Atade W, Ladikpo OT, Mehoba M, Degbe A, Vianou B, Sossou D, Ndam NT, Massougbodji A, McGready R, Fievet N, Rijken MJ, Cottrell G, Briand V. Malaria Infections and Placental Blood Flow: A Doppler Ultrasound Study From a Preconception Cohort in Benin. Open Forum Infect Dis 2023; 10:ofad376. [PMID: 37577115 PMCID: PMC10414806 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) has been associated with fetal growth restriction, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of which remain poorly understood. Malaria in pregnancy is suspected to induce abnormalities in placental vascularization, leading to impaired placental development. Our study evaluated MIP's effect on uterine artery (UtA) and umbilical artery (UA) blood flow. Methods The analysis included 253 Beninese women followed throughout pregnancy and screened monthly for submicroscopic and microscopic malaria. Uterine artery Doppler measurement was performed once between 21 and 25 weeks' gestation (wg), and UA Doppler measurement was performed 1-3 times from 28 wg. Linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of malaria infections on UtA Doppler indicators (pulsatility index and presence of a notch), whereas a logistic mixed model was used to assess the association between malaria infections and abnormal UA Doppler (defined as Z-score ≥2 standard deviation or absent/reversed UA end-diastolic flow). Results Primigravidae represented 7.5% of the study population; 42.3% of women had at least 1 microscopic infection during pregnancy, and 29.6% had at least 1 submicroscopic infection (and no microscopic infection). Both microscopic and submicroscopic infections before Doppler measurement were associated with the presence of a notch (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-16.3 and aOR 3.3, 95% CI = .9-11.9, respectively). No associations were found between malaria before the Doppler measurement and abnormal UA Doppler. Conclusions Malaria infections in the first half of pregnancy impair placental blood flow. This highlights the need to prevent malaria from the very beginning of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude Mondeilh
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) EMR 271, Bordeaux Population Health Centre, National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) UMR 1219, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Emmanuel Yovo
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
- Montpellier Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainable Agri-food Systems (MoISA), Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Manfred Accrombessi
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Disease Control Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondon, United Kingdom
| | - Cornelia Hounkonnou
- Centre d'investigation clinique, module épidémiologie clinique (CIC-EC 1425), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Paris, France
- Département d’Épidémiologie, Biostatistique et Recherche Clinique, AP-HP, Hôpital BichatParis, France
| | - Gino Agbota
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | - William Atade
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | | | - Murielle Mehoba
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | - Auguste Degbe
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | - Bertin Vianou
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | - Dariou Sossou
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | - Nicaise Tuikue Ndam
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), UMR 261 MERIT, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | - Rose McGready
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nadine Fievet
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), UMR 261 MERIT, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Marcus J Rijken
- Julius Global Health, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gilles Cottrell
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), UMR 261 MERIT, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Briand
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) EMR 271, Bordeaux Population Health Centre, National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) UMR 1219, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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Cariaco Y, Durán-Rodriguez AT, Almeida MPO, Silva NM. CCR5 contributes to adverse outcomes during malaria in pregnancy. Cytokine 2023; 162:156110. [PMID: 36565608 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2022.156110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
CCR5 is a chemokine receptor that mediates cell recruitment to sites of inflammation. It has been previously reported that the expression of CCR5 is increased in the placentas of women with malaria, a disease characterized by causing deliveries with low birth weight among other complications. CCR5 has been associated with pathology of protozoan infections during pregnancy but its role during malaria in pregnancy has not been elucidated. In the present work, we assessed the pregnancy outcome, placental structure, and levels of inflammatory markers of pregnant C57BL/6 and CCR5-/- mice infected or not with Plasmodium berghei NK65, with the purpose of determine the role of CCR5 in pregnancy associated malaria complications. We demonstrated that the expression of CCR5 mRNA increases in late pregnancy placentas of C57BL/6 when compared to uninfected controls. Infected pregnant C57BL/6 mice showed preterm birth, decreased fetal weight, placental inefficiency, and reduced placental vascular space. On the other hand, CCR5 deficiency led to increased levels of maternal parasitemia, reduced fetal weight and placental inefficiency compared to C57BL/6 mice. However, the infection did not cause additional changes in these parameters or in the incidence of preterm delivery in infected CCR5-/- mice in relation to C57BL/6 mice, showing that CCR5 may contribute to the adverse effects caused by infection during pregnancy. This improvement in pregnancy outcome, observed in infected CCR5-/- mice, was accompanied by lower placental levels of the inflammatory markers, such as TNF and NAG. Furthermore, it was observed that the placentas of CCR5-/- animals showed structural differences in relation to C57BL/6 mice, which could improve the efficiency of maternal-fetal exchanges, reflecting on fetal weight. Taken together, these results indicate that CCR5 expression contributes to the adverse outcomes caused by malaria in late pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusmaris Cariaco
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Andrea Tatiana Durán-Rodriguez
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcos Paulo Oliveira Almeida
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Neide Maria Silva
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Mosavati B, Oleinikov A, Du E. 3D microfluidics-assisted modeling of glucose transport in placental malaria. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15278. [PMID: 36088464 PMCID: PMC9464215 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19422-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The human placenta is a critical organ, mediating the exchange of nutrients, oxygen, and waste products between fetus and mother. Placental malaria (PM) resulted from Plasmodium falciparum infections causes up to 200 thousand newborn deaths annually, mainly due to low birth weight, as well as 10 thousand mother deaths. In this work, a placenta-on-a-chip model is developed to mimic the nutrient exchange between the fetus and mother under the influence of PM. In this model, trophoblasts cells (facing infected or uninfected blood simulating maternal blood and termed “trophoblast side”) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (facing uninfected blood simulating fetal blood and termed “endothelial” side) are cultured on the opposite sides of an extracellular matrix gel in a compartmental microfluidic system, forming a physiological barrier between the co-flow tubular structure to mimic a simplified maternal–fetal interface in placental villi. The influences of infected erythrocytes (IEs) sequestration through cytoadhesion to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) expressed on the surface of trophoblast cells, a critical feature of PM, on glucose transfer efficiency across the placental barrier was studied. To create glucose gradients across the barrier, uninfected erythrocyte or IE suspension with a higher glucose concentration was introduced into the “trophoblast side” and a culture medium with lower glucose concentration was introduced into the “endothelial side”. The glucose levels in the endothelial channel in response to CSA-adherent erythrocytes infected with CS2 line of parasites in trophoblast channel under flow conditions was monitored. Uninfected erythrocytes served as a negative control. The results demonstrated that CSA-binding IEs added resistance to the simulated placental barrier for glucose perfusion and decreased the glucose transfer across this barrier. The results of this study can be used for better understanding of PM pathology and development of models useful in studying potential treatment of PM.
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Barateiro A, Junior ARC, Epiphanio S, Marinho CRF. Homeostasis Maintenance in Plasmodium-Infected Placentas: Is There a Role for Placental Autophagy During Malaria in Pregnancy? Front Immunol 2022; 13:931034. [PMID: 35898514 PMCID: PMC9309427 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.931034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria represents a significant public health burden to populations living in developing countries. The disease takes a relevant toll on pregnant women, who are more prone to developing severe clinical manifestations. Inflammation triggered in response to P. falciparum sequestration inside the placenta leads to physiological and structural changes in the organ, reflecting locally disrupted homeostasis. Altogether, these events have been associated with poor gestational outcomes, such as intrauterine growth restriction and premature delivery, contributing to the parturition of thousands of African children with low birth weight. Despite significant advances in the field, the molecular mechanisms that govern these outcomes are still poorly understood. Herein, we discuss the idea of how some housekeeping molecular mechanisms, such as those related to autophagy, might be intertwined with the outcomes of malaria in pregnancy. We contextualize previous findings suggesting that placental autophagy is dysregulated in P. falciparum-infected pregnant women with complementary research describing the importance of autophagy in healthy pregnancies. Since the functional role of autophagy in pregnancy outcomes is still unclear, we hypothesize that autophagy might be essential for circumventing inflammation-induced stress in the placenta, acting as a cytoprotective mechanism that attempts to ensure local homeostasis and better gestational prognosis in women with malaria in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Barateiro
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Sabrina Epiphanio
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudio Romero Farias Marinho
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Claudio Romero Farias Marinho,
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Clark RL. Safety of Treating Malaria with Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy in the First Trimester of Pregnancy. Reprod Toxicol 2022; 111:204-210. [PMID: 35667524 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There have been recent calls for the use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for uncomplicated malaria in the first trimester of pregnancy. Nevertheless, the 2021 WHO Guidelines for Malaria reaffirmed their position that there is not adequate clinical safety data on artemisinins to support that usage. The WHO's position is consistent with several issues with the existing clinical data. First, first trimester safety results from multiple ACTs were lumped in a meta-analysis which does not demonstrate that each of the included ACTs is equally safe. Second, safety results from all periods of the first trimester were lumped in the meta-analysis which does not demonstrate the same level of safety for all subperiods, particularly gestational Weeks 6 to 8 which is likely to be the most sensitive period. Third, even if there is evidence of a lack of an effect on miscarriage for a particular ACT, it does not follow then there are no developmental effects for any ACT. In monkeys, artesunate caused marked embryonal anemia leading to embryo death but the long-term consequences of lower levels of embryonal anemia are not known. Fourth, there have been advances in the sensitivity and usage of rapid diagnostic tests that will lead to diagnoses of malaria earlier in gestation which is less well studied and more likely sensitive to artemisinins. Any clinical studies of the safety of ACTs in the first trimester need to evaluate the results of treatment with individual ACTs during different 1- to 2-week periods of the first trimester.
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Mapping and characterizing areas with high levels of malaria in pregnancy in Brazil: A spatiotemporal analysis. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2022; 12:100285. [PMID: 36776427 PMCID: PMC9903888 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2022.100285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a public health problem in the Brazilian Amazon region that requires special attention due to associated serious adverse consequences, such as low birth weight, increased prematurity and spontaneous abortion rates. In Brazil, there have been no comprehensive epidemiological studies of MiP. In this study, we aimed to explore the spatial and spatiotemporal patterns of MiP in Brazil and epidemiologically characterize this population of pregnant women over a period of 15 years. Methods We performed a national-scale ecological analysis using a Bayesian space-time hierarchical model to estimate the incidence rates of MiP between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2018. We mapped the high-incidence clusters among pregnant women aged 10-49 years old using a Poisson model, and we characterized the population based on data from the Epidemiological Surveillance Information System for Malaria (SIVEP-Malaria). Findings We consolidated the data of 61,833 women with MiP in Brazil. Our results showed a reduction of 50·1% (95% CI: 47·3 to 52·9) in the number of malaria cases over the period analysed, with Plasmodium vivax malaria having the highest incidence. MiP was widely distributed throughout the Amazon region, and spatial and spatiotemporal analyses revealed statistically significant clusters in some municipalities of Amazonas, Acre, Rondônia and Pará. In addition, we observed that younger pregnant women had a higher risk of infection, and the administration of appropriate treatment requires more attention. Interpretation This nationwide study provides robust evidence that, despite the reduction in the number of MiP cases in the country, it remains a serious public health problem, especially for young pregnant women. Our analyses highlight focus areas for strengthening interventions to control and eliminate MiP. Funding FAPESP and CNPq - Brazil.
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Bihoun B, Zango SH, Traoré-Coulibaly M, Valea I, Ravinetto R, Van Geertruyden JP, D'Alessandro U, Tinto H, Robert A. Age-modified factors associated with placental malaria in rural Burkina Faso. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:248. [PMID: 35331181 PMCID: PMC8951713 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-04568-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria in pregnancy can result in placental infection with fetal implications. This study aimed at assessing placental malaria (PM) prevalence and its associated factors in a cohort of pregnant women with peripheral malaria and their offspring. METHOD The data were collected in the framework of a clinical trial on treatments for malaria in pregnant women . Placental malaria (PM) was diagnosed by histopathological detection of parasites and/or malaria pigment on placenta biopsies taken at delivery. Factors associated with PM were assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS Out of 745 biopsies examined, PM was diagnosed in 86.8 % of women. Acute, chronic and past PM were retrieved in 11 (1.5 %), 170 (22.8 %), and 466 (62.6 %) women, respectively. A modifying effect was observed in the association of gravidity or anemia at the study start with pooled PM (presence of parasites and/or malaria pigment). In women under 30, gravidity ≤ 2 was associated with an increased prevalence of pooled PM but in women aged 30 years or more, gravidity was no more associated with pooled PM (OR 6.81, 95 % CI 3.18 - 14.60; and OR 0.52, 95 % CI 0.10 - 2.76, respectively). Anemia was associated with pooled PM in women under 30 (OR 1.96, 95 % CI 1.03 - 3.72) but not in women aged 30 years or more (OR 0.68, 95 % CI 0.31 - 1.49). Similarly, the association of gravidity with past-chronic PM depended also on age. A higher prevalence of active PM was observed in women under 30 presenting with symptomatic malaria (OR 3.79, 95 % CI 1.55 - 9.27), while there was no significant increase in the prevalence of active PM (presence of parasites only) in women with symptomatic malaria when aged 30 years or more (OR 0.42, 95 % CI 0.10 - 1.75). In women with chronic PM, the prevalence of low birth weight or prematurity was the highest (31.2 %) as compared with past PM or no PM. CONCLUSION Despite the rapid diagnosis and efficacious treatment of peripheral infection, the prevalence of placental malaria remained high in women with P. falciparum peripheral infection in Nanoro, especially in younger women This underlines the importance of preventive measures in this specific group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biébo Bihoun
- Unité de recherche clinique de Nanoro, Institut de recherche en science de la santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso.
| | - Serge Henri Zango
- Unité de recherche clinique de Nanoro, Institut de recherche en science de la santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso.,Pôle Epidémiologie et Biostatistiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Maminata Traoré-Coulibaly
- Unité de recherche clinique de Nanoro, Institut de recherche en science de la santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | - Innocent Valea
- Unité de recherche clinique de Nanoro, Institut de recherche en science de la santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Umberto D'Alessandro
- MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Gambia
| | - Halidou Tinto
- Unité de recherche clinique de Nanoro, Institut de recherche en science de la santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | - Annie Robert
- Pôle Epidémiologie et Biostatistiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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Sánchez KE, Spencer LM. Pregnancy-associated malaria: Effects of cytokine and chemokine expression. Travel Med Infect Dis 2022; 47:102282. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Govindan VP, Murthy K. Promising New Antimalarial Combination Drugs: Garlic And Arteether in Pregnant Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei. Infect Disord Drug Targets 2022; 22:e100122200124. [PMID: 35016599 DOI: 10.2174/1871526522666220110163945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antimalarial prescription remains a challenge in pregnant women because of maternal and fetal complications. Recently, garlic and α-β-arteether combination treatment in malaria-infected mice conferred protection. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs during pregnancy malaria and its safety measures. OBJECTIVE The study is to evaluate the efficacy of arteether and garlic combination drugs in protection against malaria infected pregnant mice. METHODS Plasmodium berghei-infected pregnant mouse model was used to assess the combination drug efficacy and the outcome of abnormalities of the disease after drug treatment. After optimizing the dose and gestation period, maternal protection was confirmed by parasite clearance in smear and mortality observation. In addition, maternal hematological parameters, different organ histopathology and IgG levels were documented along with the fetal and infant outcomes. RESULTS Arteether monotherapy led to spontaneous fetal abortion or resorption but after the dose optimization and with garlic combination has resulted in completion of the pregnancy and protection against malaria. The derangements observed in the histoarchitecture of organs and hematological parameters caused by malaria infection revealed improvement after drug treatment and the smear observation confirms the clearance of malaria parasite in the peripheral blood, but IgG level was maintained at the same higher level as in malaria-infected mice. CONCLUSIONS The first report of arteether and garlic combination promising high efficacy in protection against malaria-infected pregnant mice ascertain their safety and an effective alternative for pregnancy-associated malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Krishna Murthy
- Department of Biochemistry, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, TN, India
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Godwin IO, Ekejindu IM, Eleje GU, Ezeagwuna DA, Okafor CG, Onwuegbuna AA, Umeononihu OS, Godwin PO, Ogelle OM, Ikechebelu JI. Effectiveness of antenatal intermittent preventive treatment for malaria with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine on peripartum outcomes. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2022; 9:20499361221122620. [PMID: 36089984 PMCID: PMC9452816 DOI: 10.1177/20499361221122620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Following the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for 4-weekly antenatal intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy using sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP), there is a need to evaluate the drug performance in order to determine their effectiveness as tools in malaria control policy. Objectives To determine prevalence of cord blood malaria, compliance gap and adverse pregnancy outcomes (anaemia, preterm delivery, spontaneous abortion, intra-uterine foetal death and low birth weight) among antenatal IPTp-SP users compared with non-users. Methods A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among consenting 390 participants who were administered a questionnaire, and paired blood samples were collected from the venous blood of participants and neonatal cord immediately after delivery. The participants were categorised as IPTp-SP users and non-users. Adverse pregnancy outcomes were assessed. Neonatal birth weights were also measured within 1 h after delivery. Malaria parasitaemia and anaemia were analysed using standard parasitological and haematological methods of examination. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25 for Windows and p-value of < 0.05 considered significant. Results Of 390 women, 336 (86.2%) were IPTp-SP users, while 54 (13.8%) were non-users. The compliance gap was 13.8%. Malaria parasitemia in pregnant women (21.7% versus 53.7%; p < 0.001) and their babies (12.2% versus 25.4%; p = 0.002) were observed for IPTp-SP users and non-users, respectively. The prevalence of maternal anaemia was 27(8.0%) in IPTp-SP users and 5 (9.3%) in non-users (p = 0.789). Mean parasite density was reduced in IPTp-SP users than in non-users (p < 0.001). Correlation of birth weight according to their sex showed a weak correlation [correlation coefficient (r) = 0.027; p = 0.736]. Pregnant women with preterm delivery, spontaneous abortion, intra-uterine foetal death, and low birth weight were significantly lower (p < 0.001, for all) in IPTp-SP users compared with non-users. Conclusion Although the compliance gap was low, IPTp-SP users had significantly better pregnancy and foetal outcomes compared with non-users. Efforts should be intensified towards achieving total compliance in IPTp-SP usage by pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Okezie Godwin
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Nigeria
| | - Ifeoma Mercy Ekejindu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Nigeria
| | - George Uchenna Eleje
- Effective Care Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (Nnewi Campus), P.M.B. 5001, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State 435001, Nigeria
| | - Dorothy Amauche Ezeagwuna
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria
| | - Chigozie Geoffrey Okafor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria
| | | | - Osita Samuel Umeononihu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria
| | | | - Onyecherelam Monday Ogelle
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria
| | - Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria
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Veras H. Wrong place, wrong time: The long-run effects of in-utero exposure to malaria on educational attainment. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2022; 44:101092. [PMID: 34923211 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2021.101092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigates the long-term relationship between early life exposure to malaria and human capital accumulation in Brazil. The identification strategy relies on exogenous variation in the risk of malaria outbreaks in different states and seasons of the year to identify in utero exposure according to the timing and location of birth. I find consistent negative treatment effects of in utero exposure to malaria on educational attainment. The effects are stronger for exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy than during other periods of gestation. Effective anti-malaria policies can, thus, be an important factor contributing to reducing the educational inequality by targeting pregnant women, especially those in their first months of gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Veras
- Department of Economics and Business, Centre College, Crounse Hall 417, 1600 W Walnut St, Danville, KY 40422, USA.
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Bilal JA, Rayis DA, AlEed A, Al-Nafeesah A, Adam I. Maternal Undernutrition and Low Birth Weight in a Tertiary Hospital in Sudan: A Cross-Sectional Study. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:927518. [PMID: 35799688 PMCID: PMC9253371 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.927518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization set a Global Nutrition Target of a 30% reduction in LBW by 2025. Maternal malnutrition/undernutrition is among the most important modifiable risk factors for impaired fetal growth. This study investigates the effect of maternal undernutrition on LBW in Sudan. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted at Saad Abuelela Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan, from May to October 2020. The sociodemographic and obstetric data of the women were gathered via questionnaire, and their mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) was measured. Maternal undernutrition was defined as a MUAC of <23 cm. RESULTS In total, 1,505 pairs of pregnant women and their newborns were enrolled in the study. The medians [interquartile (IQR)] of the age, parity, and gestational age were 27.0 (9.0) years, 1.0 (3.0), and 38.0 (2.0) weeks, respectively. The median (IQR) of the birth weight was 3,028.0 (690.0) g. Of the 1,505 participants, 182 (12.1%) delivered LBW infants. Multivariate logistic regression showed that MUAC [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.87-0.96] and gestational age (AOR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.73-0.85) were negatively associated with LBW. The level of antenatal care <2 visits (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.30-3.57) was associated with LBW. Women with undernutrition were at a higher risk of delivering LBW infants (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.09-2.53). CONCLUSION LBW is a health problem in Sudan, and women with undernutrition were at a higher risk of delivering LBW infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalal A Bilal
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Duria A Rayis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Ashwaq AlEed
- Department of Pediatrics, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unaizah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Al-Nafeesah
- Department of Pediatrics, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unaizah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ishag Adam
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unaizah, Saudi Arabia
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Tran V, Weckman AM, Crowley VM, Cahill LS, Zhong K, Cabrera A, Elphinstone RE, Pearce V, Madanitsa M, Kalilani-Phiri L, Mwapasa V, Khairallah C, Conroy AL, Ter Kuile FO, Sled JG, Kain KC. The Angiopoietin-Tie2 axis contributes to placental vascular disruption and adverse birth outcomes in malaria in pregnancy. EBioMedicine 2021; 73:103683. [PMID: 34758414 PMCID: PMC8590041 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria during pregnancy is a major contributor to the global burden of adverse birth outcomes including fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and fetal loss. Recent evidence supports a role for angiogenic dysregulation and perturbations to placental vascular development in the pathobiology of malaria in pregnancy. The Angiopoietin-Tie2 axis is critical for placental vascularization and remodeling. We hypothesized that disruption of this pathway would contribute to malaria-induced adverse birth outcomes. Methods Using samples from a previously conducted prospective cohort study of pregnant women in Malawi, we measured circulating levels of angiopoietin-1 (Angpt-1) and Angpt-2 by Luminex (n=1392). We used a preclinical model of malaria in pregnancy (Plasmodium berghei ANKA [PbA] in pregnant BALB/c mice), genetic disruption of Angpt-1 (Angpt1+/− mice), and micro-CT analysis of placental vasculature to test the hypothesis that disruptions to the Angpt-Tie2 axis by malaria during pregnancy would result in aberrant placental vasculature and adverse birth outcomes. Findings Decreased circulating levels of Angpt-1 and an increased ratio of Angpt-2/Angpt-1 across pregnancy were associated with malaria in pregnancy. In the preclinical model, PbA infection recapitulated disruptions to the Angiopoietin-Tie2 axis resulting in reduced fetal growth and viability. Malaria decreased placental Angpt-1 and Tie2 expression and acted synergistically with reduced Angpt-1 in heterozygous dams (Angpt1+/−), to worsen birth outcomes by impeding vascular remodeling required for placental function. Interpretation Collectively, these data support a mechanistic role for the Angpt-Tie2 axis in malaria in pregnancy, including a potential protective role for Angpt-1 in mitigating infection-associated adverse birth outcomes. Funding This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada Research Chair, and Toronto General Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. The parent trial was supported by the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership and the Malaria in Pregnancy Consortium, which was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funders had no role in design, analysis, or reporting of these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Tran
- SAR Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Andrea M Weckman
- SAR Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Valerie M Crowley
- SAR Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kathleen Zhong
- SAR Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ana Cabrera
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Robyn E Elphinstone
- SAR Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Victoria Pearce
- SAR Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mwayiwawo Madanitsa
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Thyolo, Malawi
| | | | - Victor Mwapasa
- College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Carole Khairallah
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea L Conroy
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Feiko O Ter Kuile
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kevin C Kain
- SAR Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada; Tropical Disease Unit, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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Hendrixson DT, Smith K, Lasowski P, Callaghan-Gillespie M, Weber J, Papathakis P, Iversen PO, Koroma AS, Manary MJ. A novel intervention combining supplementary food and infection control measures to improve birth outcomes in undernourished pregnant women in Sierra Leone: A randomized, controlled clinical effectiveness trial. PLoS Med 2021; 18:e1003618. [PMID: 34582451 PMCID: PMC8478228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Innovations for undernourished pregnant women that improve newborn survival and anthropometry are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 3. This study tested the hypothesis that a combination of a nutritious supplementary food and several proven chemotherapeutic interventions to control common infections would increase newborn weight and length in undernourished pregnant women. METHODS AND FINDINGS This was a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical effectiveness trial of a ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) plus anti-infective therapies compared to standard therapy in undernourished pregnant women in rural Sierra Leone. Women with a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) ≤23.0 cm presenting for antenatal care at one of 43 government health clinics in Western Rural Area and Pujehun districts were eligible for participation. Standard of care included a blended corn/soy flour and intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp). The intervention replaced the blended flour with RUSF and added azithromycin and testing and treatment for vaginal dysbiosis. Since the study involved different foods and testing procedures for the intervention and control groups, no one except the authors conducting the data analyses were blinded. The primary outcome was birth length. Secondary outcomes included maternal weight gain, birth weight, and neonatal survival. Follow-up continued until 6 months postpartum. Modified intention to treat analyses was undertaken. Participants were enrolled and followed up from February 2017 until February 2020. Of the 1,489 women enrolled, 752 were allocated to the intervention and 737 to the standard of care. The median age of these women was 19.5 years, of which 42% were primigravid. Twenty-nine women receiving the intervention and 42 women receiving the standard of care were lost to follow-up before pregnancy outcomes were obtained. There were 687 singleton live births in the intervention group and 657 in the standard of care group. Newborns receiving the intervention were 0.3 cm longer (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09 to 0.6; p = 0.007) and weighed 70 g more (95% CI 20 to 120; p = 0.005) than those receiving the standard of care. Those women receiving the intervention had greater weekly weight gain (mean difference 40 g; 95% CI 9.70 to 71.0, p = 0.010) than those receiving the standard of care. There were fewer neonatal deaths in the intervention (n = 13; 1.9%) than in the standard of care (n = 28; 4.3%) group (difference 2.4%; 95% CI 0.3 to 4.4), (HR 0.62 95% CI 0.41 to 0.94, p = 0.026). No differences in adverse events or symptoms between the groups was found, and no serious adverse events occurred. Key limitations of the study are lack of gestational age estimates and unblinded administration of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we observed that the addition of RUSF, azithromycin, more frequent IPTp, and testing/treatment for vaginal dysbiosis in undernourished pregnant women resulted in modest improvements in anthropometric status of mother and child at birth, and a reduction in neonatal death. Implementation of this combined intervention in rural, equatorial Africa may well be an important, practical measure to reduce infant mortality in this context. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03079388.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Taylor Hendrixson
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Kristie Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Patrick Lasowski
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Meghan Callaghan-Gillespie
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Jacklyn Weber
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Peggy Papathakis
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, United States of America
| | | | - Aminata Shamit Koroma
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, The Republic of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Mark J. Manary
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Shmeleva EV, Colucci F. Maternal natural killer cells at the intersection between reproduction and mucosal immunity. Mucosal Immunol 2021; 14:991-1005. [PMID: 33903735 PMCID: PMC8071844 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-020-00374-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Many maternal immune cells populate the decidua, which is the mucosal lining of the uterus transformed during pregnancy. Here, abundant natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages help the uterine vasculature adapt to fetal demands for gas and nutrients, thereby supporting fetal growth. Fetal trophoblast cells budding off the forming placenta and invading deep into maternal tissues come into contact with these and other immune cells. Besides their homeostatic functions, decidual NK cells can respond to pathogens during infection, but in doing so, they may become conflicted between destroying the invader and sustaining fetoplacental growth. We review how maternal NK cells balance their double duty both in the local microenvironment of the uterus and systemically, during toxoplasmosis, influenza, cytomegalovirus, malaria and other infections that threat pregnancy. We also discuss recent developments in the understanding of NK-cell responses to SARS-Cov-2 infection and the possible dangers of COVID-19 during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniya V Shmeleva
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0SW, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Francesco Colucci
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0SW, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Jafari-Guemouri S, Courtois L, Mama A, Rouas B, Neto Braga G, Accrombessi M, Massougbodji A, Ding XC, Tuikue Ndam N, Fievet N, Briand V. A Genotyping Study in Benin Comparing the Carriage of Plasmodium falciparum Infections Before Pregnancy and in Early Pregnancy: Story of a Persistent Infection. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:e355-e361. [PMID: 32569359 PMCID: PMC8282262 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria infections in the first trimester of pregnancy are frequent and deleterious for both mother and child health. To investigate if these early infections are newly acquired or already present in the host, we assessed whether parasites detected before pregnancy and those detected in early pregnancy are the same infection. Methods We used data from the preconceptional “RECIPAL” study (Benin, 2014–2017). Sixty-three pregnant women of 411 included who had a malaria infection detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction both before pregnancy and at the first antenatal care (ANC) visit were selected for this study. Two highly polymorphic markers, msp-2 and glurp, and a fragment-analysis method were used to enumerate the Plasmodium falciparum genotypes and to quantify their proportions within isolates. An infection was considered as persistent when identical msp-2 and glurp genotypes were found in the corresponding prepregnancy and early-pregnancy samples. Results The median time between the 2 malaria screenings was 3 months. The median gestational age at the first ANC visit was 6.4 weeks. Most infections before pregnancy were submicroscopic infections. Based on both msp-2 and glurp genotyping, the infection was similar before and in early pregnancy in 46% (29/63) of cases. Conclusions Almost half of P. falciparum infections detected in the first trimester originate before pregnancy. Protecting young women from malaria infection before pregnancy might reduce the prevalence of malaria in early pregnancy and its related poor maternal and birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayeh Jafari-Guemouri
- Université de Paris, UMR261-MERIT, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France
| | - Laura Courtois
- Université de Paris, UMR261-MERIT, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France
| | - Atika Mama
- Clinical Research Institute of Benin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | - Baptiste Rouas
- Université de Paris, UMR261-MERIT, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France
| | - Gabriel Neto Braga
- Université de Paris, UMR261-MERIT, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France
| | - Manfred Accrombessi
- Clinical Research Institute of Benin (IRCB), Abomey-Calavi, Benin.,Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Disease Control Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Nicaise Tuikue Ndam
- Université de Paris, UMR261-MERIT, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France
| | - Nadine Fievet
- Université de Paris, UMR261-MERIT, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Briand
- Université de Paris, UMR261-MERIT, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France.,University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Inserm, University of Bordeaux, UMR, Bordeaux, France
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22
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TLR4-Endothelin Axis Controls Syncytiotrophoblast Motility and Confers Fetal Protection in Placental Malaria. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0080920. [PMID: 34061587 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00809-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy-associated malaria is often associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Placental circulatory impairments are an intriguing and unsolved component of malaria pathophysiology. Here, we uncovered a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-TRIF-endothelin axis that controls trophoblast motility and is linked to fetal protection during Plasmodium infection. In a cohort of 401 pregnancies from northern Brazil, we found that infection during pregnancy reduced expression of endothelin receptor B in syncytiotrophoblasts, while endothelin expression was only affected during acute infection. We further show that quantitative expression of placental endothelin and endothelin receptor B proteins are differentially controlled by maternal and fetal TLR4 alleles. Using murine malaria models, we identified placental autonomous responses to malaria infection mediated by fetally encoded TLR4 that not only controlled placental endothelin gene expression but also correlated with fetal viability protection. In vitro assays showed that control of endothelin expression in fetal syncytiotrophoblasts exposed to Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes was dependent on TLR4 via the TRIF pathway but not MyD88 signaling. Time-lapse microscopy in syncytiotrophoblast primary cultures and cell invasion assays demonstrated that ablation of TLR4 or endothelin receptor blockade abrogates trophoblast collective motility and cell migration responses to infected erythrocytes. These results cohesively substantiate the hypothesis that fetal innate immune sensing, namely, the TRL4-TRIF pathway, exerts a fetal protective role during malaria infection by mediating syncytiotrophoblast vasoregulatory responses that counteract placental insufficiency.
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23
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Gómez A, Pernía B, Zamora L, Spencer LM. Effect of Plasmodium berghei infection on fetuses in pregnant BALB/c mice at two periods of pregnancy. BIONATURA 2021. [DOI: 10.21931/rb/2021.06.02.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a disease caused by a protozoan of the genus Plasmodium in humans and vertebrates. It has a high morbidity and mortality rate, especially in pregnant women living in countries with high transmission rates. Murine models have been an excellent tool to evaluate the effects of malarial infection in the mother-fetus relationship. For this reason, we evaluated the effect of malarial infection on fetal development at the beginning and middle of the gestational period in BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. Our results show that malarial infection at the beginning of pregnancy markedly affects the development of the fetus in size, weight, and development of its limbs so that the control of the pregnant mother is relevant at the beginning of gestation
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreina Gómez
- Cell Biology Department, Simón Bolívar University, Valle de Sartenejas, Caracas
| | - Beatriz Pernía
- University of Guayaquil, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Av. Raúl Gómez Lince s/n y Av. Juan Tanca Marengo, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Lizbeth Zamora
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Ecuador
| | - Lilian M. Spencer
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Ecuador Cell Biology Department, Simón Bolívar University, Valle de Sartenejas, Caracas
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24
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Dombrowski JG, Barateiro A, Peixoto EPM, Barros ABCDS, de Souza RM, Clark TG, Campino S, Wrenger C, Wunderlich G, Palmisano G, Epiphanio S, Gonçalves LA, Marinho CRF. Adverse pregnancy outcomes are associated with Plasmodium vivax malaria in a prospective cohort of women from the Brazilian Amazon. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009390. [PMID: 33914739 PMCID: PMC8112668 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria in Brazil represents one of the highest percentages of Latin America cases, where approximately 84% of infections are attributed to Plasmodium (P.) vivax. Despite the high incidence, many aspects of gestational malaria resulting from P. vivax infections remain poorly studied. As such, we aimed to evaluate the consequences of P. vivax infections during gestation on the health of mothers and their neonates in an endemic area of the Amazon. METHODS AND FINDINGS We have conducted an observational cohort study in Brazilian Amazon between January 2013 and April 2015. 600 pregnant women were enrolled and followed until delivery. After applying exclusion criteria, 329 mother-child pairs were included in the analysis. Clinical data regarding maternal infection, newborn's anthropometric measures, placental histopathological characteristics, and angiogenic and inflammatory factors were evaluated. The presence of plasma IgG against the P. vivax (Pv) MSP119 protein was used as marker of exposure and possible associations with pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that P. vivax infections during the first trimester of pregnancy are associated with adverse gestational outcomes such as premature birth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 8.12, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 2.69-24.54, p < 0.0001) and reduced head circumference (aOR 3.58, 95%CI 1.29-9.97, p = 0.01). Histopathology analysis showed marked differences between placentas from P. vivax-infected and non-infected pregnant women, especially regarding placental monocytes infiltrate. Placental levels of vasomodulatory factors such as angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) and complement proteins such as C5a were also altered at delivery. Plasma levels of anti-PvMSP119 IgG in infected pregnant women were shown to be a reliable exposure marker; yet, with no association with improved pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that P. vivax malaria during the first trimester of pregnancy represents a higher likelihood of subsequent poor pregnancy outcomes associated with marked placental histologic modification and angiogenic/inflammatory imbalance. Additionally, our findings support the idea that antibodies against PvMSP119 are not protective against poor pregnancy outcomes induced by P. vivax infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - André Barateiro
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Taane Gregory Clark
- Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susana Campino
- Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gerhard Wunderlich
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Epiphanio
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lígia Antunes Gonçalves
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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25
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Melamed N, Baschat A, Yinon Y, Athanasiadis A, Mecacci F, Figueras F, Berghella V, Nazareth A, Tahlak M, McIntyre HD, Da Silva Costa F, Kihara AB, Hadar E, McAuliffe F, Hanson M, Ma RC, Gooden R, Sheiner E, Kapur A, Divakar H, Ayres‐de‐Campos D, Hiersch L, Poon LC, Kingdom J, Romero R, Hod M. FIGO (international Federation of Gynecology and obstetrics) initiative on fetal growth: best practice advice for screening, diagnosis, and management of fetal growth restriction. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2021; 152 Suppl 1:3-57. [PMID: 33740264 PMCID: PMC8252743 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.13522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is defined as the failure of the fetus to meet its growth potential due to a pathological factor, most commonly placental dysfunction. Worldwide, FGR is a leading cause of stillbirth, neonatal mortality, and short- and long-term morbidity. Ongoing advances in clinical care, especially in definitions, diagnosis, and management of FGR, require efforts to effectively translate these changes to the wide range of obstetric care providers. This article highlights agreements based on current research in the diagnosis and management of FGR, and the areas that need more research to provide further clarification of recommendations. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive summary of available evidence along with practical recommendations concerning the care of pregnancies at risk of or complicated by FGR, with the overall goal to decrease the risk of stillbirth and neonatal mortality and morbidity associated with this condition. To achieve these goals, FIGO (the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) brought together international experts to review and summarize current knowledge of FGR. This summary is directed at multiple stakeholders, including healthcare providers, healthcare delivery organizations and providers, FIGO member societies, and professional organizations. Recognizing the variation in the resources and expertise available for the management of FGR in different countries or regions, this article attempts to take into consideration the unique aspects of antenatal care in low-resource settings (labelled “LRS” in the recommendations). This was achieved by collaboration with authors and FIGO member societies from low-resource settings such as India, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nir Melamed
- Division of Maternal Fetal MedicineDepartment of Obstetrics and GynecologySunnybrook Health Sciences CentreUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Ahmet Baschat
- Center for Fetal TherapyDepartment of Gynecology and ObstetricsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Yoav Yinon
- Fetal Medicine UnitDepartment of Obstetrics and GynecologySheba Medical CenterTel‐HashomerSackler Faculty of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Apostolos Athanasiadis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyAristotle University of ThessalonikiThessalonikiGreece
| | - Federico Mecacci
- Maternal Fetal Medicine UnitDivision of Obstetrics and GynecologyDepartment of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical SciencesUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Francesc Figueras
- Maternal‐Fetal Medicine DepartmentBarcelona Clinic HospitalUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Vincenzo Berghella
- Division of Maternal‐Fetal MedicineDepartment of Obstetrics and GynecologyThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Amala Nazareth
- Jumeira Prime Healthcare GroupEmirates Medical AssociationDubaiUnited Arab Emirates
| | - Muna Tahlak
- Latifa Hospital for Women and ChildrenDubai Health AuthorityEmirates Medical AssociationMohammad Bin Rashid University for Medical Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Fabrício Da Silva Costa
- Department of Gynecology and ObstetricsRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São PauloRibeirão PretoSão PauloBrazil
| | - Anne B. Kihara
- African Federation of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsKhartoumSudan
| | - Eran Hadar
- Helen Schneider Hospital for WomenRabin Medical CenterPetach TikvaIsrael
- Sackler Faculty of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Fionnuala McAuliffe
- UCD Perinatal Research CentreSchool of MedicineNational Maternity HospitalUniversity College DublinDublinIreland
| | - Mark Hanson
- Institute of Developmental SciencesUniversity Hospital SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research CentreUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Ronald C. Ma
- Department of Medicine and TherapeuticsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
- Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and ObesityThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
| | - Rachel Gooden
- FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics)LondonUK
| | - Eyal Sheiner
- Soroka University Medical CenterBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBe’er‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Anil Kapur
- World Diabetes FoundationBagsværdDenmark
| | | | | | - Liran Hiersch
- Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of MedicineLis Maternity HospitalTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Liona C. Poon
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyPrince of Wales HospitalThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SAR, China
| | - John Kingdom
- Division of Maternal Fetal MedicineDepartment of Obstetrics and GynecologyMount Sinai HospitalUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research BranchEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentNational Institutes of HealthU.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Moshe Hod
- Helen Schneider Hospital for WomenRabin Medical CenterPetach TikvaIsrael
- Sackler Faculty of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
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26
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Tomlinson A, Semblat JP, Gamain B, Chêne A. VAR2CSA-Mediated Host Defense Evasion of Plasmodium falciparum Infected Erythrocytes in Placental Malaria. Front Immunol 2021; 11:624126. [PMID: 33633743 PMCID: PMC7900151 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.624126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 30 million women living in P. falciparum endemic areas are at risk of developing malaria during pregnancy every year. Placental malaria is characterized by massive accumulation of infected erythrocytes in the intervillous space of the placenta, accompanied by infiltration of immune cells, particularly monocytes. The consequent local inflammation and the obstruction of the maternofetal exchanges can lead to severe clinical outcomes for both mother and child. Even if protection against the disease can gradually be acquired following successive pregnancies, the malaria parasite has developed a large panel of evasion mechanisms to escape from host defense mechanisms and manipulate the immune system to its advantage. Infected erythrocytes isolated from placentas of women suffering from placental malaria present a unique phenotype and express the pregnancy-specific variant VAR2CSA of the Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein (PfEMP1) family at their surface. The polymorphic VAR2CSA protein is able to mediate the interaction of infected erythrocytes with a variety of host cells including placental syncytiotrophoblasts and leukocytes but also with components of the immune system such as non-specific IgM. This review summarizes the described VAR2CSA-mediated host defense evasion mechanisms employed by the parasite during placental malaria to ensure its survival and persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Tomlinson
- Université de Paris, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, UMR_S1134, BIGR, INSERM, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Transfusion Sanguine, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Semblat
- Université de Paris, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, UMR_S1134, BIGR, INSERM, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Transfusion Sanguine, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Benoît Gamain
- Université de Paris, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, UMR_S1134, BIGR, INSERM, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Transfusion Sanguine, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Chêne
- Université de Paris, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, UMR_S1134, BIGR, INSERM, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Transfusion Sanguine, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
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27
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Matlani M, Kojom LP, Mishra N, Dogra V, Singh V. Severe vivax malaria trends in the last two years: a study from a tertiary care centre, Delhi, India. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2020; 19:49. [PMID: 33126884 PMCID: PMC7602347 DOI: 10.1186/s12941-020-00393-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium vivax, once considered benign species, is recently being recognised to be causing severe malaria like Plasmodium falciparum. In the present study, the authors report the trends in malaria severity in P. vivax among patients from a Delhi government hospital. The aim of the study was to understand the disease severity and the burden of severe vivax malaria. Methods A hospital based study was carried out from June 2017 to December 2018 at a tertiary care centre from Delhi, India. Patients were tested for malaria using peripheral blood smear (PBS) and/or rapid malaria antigen test (RMAT). The severe and non-severe vivax malaria categorization was done as per the WHO guidelines. Sociodemographic, clinic and paraclinical data were collected from patients and their medical records. Results Of the 205 patients, 177 (86.3%) had P. vivax infection, 22 (10.7%) had P. falciparum infection and six (2.9%) had mixed infection with both the species. Out of 177 P. vivax cases included in this study one or more manifestations of severe malaria was found in 58 cases (32.7%). Severe anaemia (56.9%), jaundice (15%) and significant bleeding (15%) were the most common complications reported in most of patients, along with thrombocytopenia. Conclusions In this study, it is evident that vivax malaria is emerging as the new severe disease in malaria patients, a significant shift in the paradigm of P. vivax pathogenesis. The spectrum of complications and alterations in the laboratory parameters in P. vivax clinical cases also indicate the recent shift in the disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Matlani
- Department of Microbiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Loick P Kojom
- Cell Biology Laboratory and Malaria Parasite Bank, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Neelangi Mishra
- Department of Microbiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Vinita Dogra
- Department of Microbiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Vineeta Singh
- Cell Biology Laboratory and Malaria Parasite Bank, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India.
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28
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Kalinjuma AV, Darling AM, Mugusi FM, Abioye AI, Okumu FO, Aboud S, Masanja H, Hamer DH, Hertzmark E, Fawzi WW. Factors associated with sub-microscopic placental malaria and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes among HIV-negative women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a cohort study. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:796. [PMID: 33109111 PMCID: PMC7590608 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05521-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria infection during pregnancy has negative health consequences for both mothers and offspring. Sub-microscopic malaria infection during pregnancy is common in most African countries. We sought to identify factors associated with sub-microscopic placental malaria, and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes among HIV-negative pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. METHODS We recruited a cohort of pregnant women during their first trimester and assessed for the occurrence of placental malaria and pregnancy outcomes. The follow-up was done monthly from recruitment until delivery. Histopathology placental malaria positive results were defined as the presence of malaria pigment or parasitized erythrocytes on the slide (histology-positive (HP)), and the sub-microscopic placental infection was defined as positive Plasmodium falciparum DNA by polymerase chain reaction (DNA PCR) amplification in a negative histopathology test. Adverse pregnancy outcomes investigated included low birth weight (birth weight below 2.5 kg), prematurity (live birth below 37 weeks), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) (live born with a birth weight below 10th percentile for gestational age and sex). Weighted baseline category logit, log-binomial, and log-Poisson models were used to assess factors associated with placental malaria, and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS Among 1115 women who had histopathology and DNA PCR performed, 93 (8%) had HP placental infection, and 136 (12%) had the sub-microscopic placental infection. The risk of sub-microscopic placental malaria was greater in women who did not use mosquito prevention methods such as bed nets, fumigation, or mosquito coils (odds ratio (OR) = 1.75; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-2.92; P = 0.03) and in women who were anemic (OR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.20-2.11; P = 0.001). Women who were underweight had reduced odds of sub-microscopic placental malaria infection (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.17-0.62; P = 0.001). Women who were overweight/obese had 1.48 times higher the odds of HP placental malaria compared to normal weight (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.03-2.11; P = 0.03). HP placental malaria infection was associated with an increased risk of SGA births (RR = 1.30, 95% CI: 0.98-1.72, P = 0.07). In contrast, the sub-microscopic infection was associated with a reduced risk of SGA births (RR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.88, P = 0.01). Placental malaria was not associated with low birth weight or prematurity. CONCLUSION Malaria prevention methods and maternal nutrition status during early pregnancy were important predictors of sub-microscopic placental malaria. More research is needed to understand sub-microscopic placental malaria and the possible mechanisms mediating the association between placental malaria and SGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneth Vedastus Kalinjuma
- Department of Intervention and Clinical Trials, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Morogoro, Tanzania.
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Anne Marie Darling
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ferdinand M Mugusi
- Departments of Internal Medicine; and Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Ajibola Ibraheem Abioye
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fredros O Okumu
- Department of Intervention and Clinical Trials, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Said Aboud
- Departments of Internal Medicine; and Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Honorati Masanja
- Department of Intervention and Clinical Trials, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Davidson H Hamer
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ellen Hertzmark
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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29
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Omer SA, Sulaiman SM. The Placenta and Plasmodium Infections: a Case Study from Blue Nile State, Sudan. CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40475-020-00214-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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Randell H, Gray C, Grace K. Stunted from the start: Early life weather conditions and child undernutrition in Ethiopia. Soc Sci Med 2020; 261:113234. [PMID: 32823214 PMCID: PMC7716344 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between weather conditions and child nutrition in Ethiopia. We link data from four rounds of the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey to high-resolution climate data to measure exposure to rainfall and temperature in utero and during early life. We then estimate a set of multivariate regression models to understand how weather conditions impact child stunting, an indicator of sustained early life undernutrition. We find that greater rainfall during the rainy seasons in early life is associated with greater height for age. In addition, higher temperatures in utero, particularly during the first and third trimesters, and more rainfall during the third trimester, are positively associated with severe stunting, though stunting decreases with temperature in early life. We find potential evidence for a number of pathways underlying the weather-child nutrition relationship including agricultural livelihoods, heat stress, infectious disease transmission, and women's time use during pregnancy. These findings illuminate the complex pathways through which climate change may influence child health and should motivate additional research focused on identifying the causal mechanisms underlying these links.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Randell
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, Penn State University, 110-A Armsby Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Clark Gray
- Department of Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Kathryn Grace
- Department of Geography, Environment, and Society, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA
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Martinelli LM, Fontes KN, Reginatto MW, Andrade CBV, Monteiro VRS, Gomes HR, Silva-Filho JL, Pinheiro AAS, Vago AR, Almeida FRCL, Bloise FF, Matthews SG, Ortiga-Carvalho TM, Bloise E. Malaria in pregnancy regulates P-glycoprotein (P-gp/Abcb1a) and ABCA1 efflux transporters in the Mouse Visceral Yolk Sac. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:10636-10647. [PMID: 32779889 PMCID: PMC7521277 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) induces intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm labour (PTL). However, its effects on yolk sac morphology and function are largely unexplored. We hypothesized that MiP modifies yolk sac morphology and efflux transport potential by modulating ABC efflux transporters. C57BL/6 mice injected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (5 × 105 infected erythrocytes) at gestational day (GD) 13.5 were subjected to yolk sac membrane harvesting at GD 18.5 for histology, qPCR and immunohistochemistry. MiP did not alter the volumetric proportion of the yolk sac's histological components. However, it increased levels of Abcb1a mRNA (encoding P‐glycoprotein) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (Mif chemokine), while decreasing Abcg1 (P < 0.05); without altering Abca1, Abcb1b, Abcg2, Snat1, Snat2, interleukin (Il)‐1β and C‐C Motif chemokine ligand 2 (Ccl2). Transcripts of Il‐6, chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) ligand 1 (Cxcl1), Glut1 and Snat4 were not detectible. ABCA1, ABCG1, breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and P‐gp were primarily immunolocalized to the cell membranes and cytoplasm of endodermic epithelium but also in the mesothelium and in the endothelium of mesodermic blood vessels. Intensity of P‐gp labelling was stronger in both endodermic epithelium and mesothelium, whereas ABCA1 labelling increased in the endothelium of the mesodermic blood vessels. The presence of ABC transporters in the yolk sac wall suggests that this fetal membrane acts as an important protective gestational barrier. Changes in ABCA1 and P‐gp in MiP may alter the biodistribution of toxic substances, xenobiotics, nutrients and immunological factors within the fetal compartment and participate in the pathogenesis of malaria‐induced IUGR and PTL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian M Martinelli
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Klaus N Fontes
- Laboratory of Translational Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mila W Reginatto
- Laboratory of Translational Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cherley B V Andrade
- Laboratory of Translational Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Victoria R S Monteiro
- Laboratory of Translational Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hanailly R Gomes
- Laboratory of Translational Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Joao L Silva-Filho
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biochemistry of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana A S Pinheiro
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biochemistry of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Annamaria R Vago
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fernanda R C L Almeida
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Flavia F Bloise
- Laboratory of Translational Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stephen G Matthews
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tania M Ortiga-Carvalho
- Laboratory of Translational Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Enrrico Bloise
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Azcárate IG, Marín-García P, Abad P, Pérez-Benavente S, Paz-Artal E, Reche PA, Fobil JN, Rubio JM, Diez A, Puyet A, Bautista JM. Plasmodium falciparum immunodominant IgG epitopes in subclinical malaria. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9398. [PMID: 32523082 PMCID: PMC7287129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66384-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Incomplete non-sterile immunity to malaria is attained in endemic regions after recurrent infections by a large percentage of the adult population, who carry the malaria parasite asymptomatically. Although blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum rapidly elicits IgG responses, the target antigens of partially protective and non-protective IgG antibodies as well as the basis for the acquisition of these antibodies remain largely unknown. We performed IgG-immunomics to screen for P. falciparum antigens and to identify epitopes associated with exposure and clinical disease. Sera from malaria cases identified five prevalent antigens recognized by all analyzed patients' IgGs. Epitope mapping of them, using adult and children sera samples from an endemic malaria region in Ghana segregated into patients with positive or negative subclinical detection of P. falciparum, revealed binding specificity for two 20-mer immunodominant antigenic regions within the START-related lipid transfer protein and the protein disulfide isomerase PDI8. These 20-mer epitopes challenged with sera samples from children under 5 years old displayed specific IgG binding in those with detectable parasitemia, even at subclinical level. These results suggest that humoral response against START and PDI8 antigens may be triggered at submicroscopic parasitemia levels in children and may eventually be used to differentially diagnose subclinical malaria in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel G Azcárate
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.,Isabel G. Azcárate, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Alcorcón, 28922, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Paloma Abad
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Pérez-Benavente
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Estela Paz-Artal
- Immunodeficiency and Transplant Immunology Unit, Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro A Reche
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ORL, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julius N Fobil
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 13, Legon, Ghana
| | - José M Rubio
- Malaria & Emerging Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, National Centre of Microbiology. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220, Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Amalia Diez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Puyet
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José M Bautista
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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Health Indicators of Pregnant Women in Tonkolili District, Rural Sierra Leone. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17113918. [PMID: 32492879 PMCID: PMC7312252 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17113918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite having reported one of the highest maternal mortality ratios and neonatal mortality rates in the world, surprisingly little is known about the general health status of pregnant women in rural parts of Sierra Leone. Malaria, anaemia and malnutrition are known contributors to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although their prevalence is known to be high, the burden of these conditions in the rural pregnant population remains unknown. Our study aimed to gain more insight into the health status of pregnant women. An observational retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Lion Heart Medical Centre using antenatal care (ANC) registers. The study revealed high prevalence of malaria (35.2%), maternal undernutrition (10.4%) and anaemia (65.9%). The proportion of teenage pregnancies in the ANC population was 16.4%. Both malaria and anaemia were more prevalent in this group, with odds ratios of 2.1 and 1.7, respectively. The findings reveal alarming high rates of anaemia, acute undernutrition and malaria among pregnant women and high numbers of pregnancy among adolescents, with increased health risks. These results will be used to advocate for a malnutrition program, specifically for pregnant women. Our study further emphasises the importance of preventing malaria and anaemia in pregnant women.
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Moeller SL, Nyengaard JR, Larsen LG, Nielsen K, Bygbjerg IC, Msemo OA, Lusingu JPA, Minja DTR, Theander TG, Schmiegelow C. Malaria in Early Pregnancy and the Development of the Placental Vasculature. J Infect Dis 2020; 220:1425-1434. [PMID: 30590576 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy malaria has a negative impact on fetal outcome. It is uncertain whether infections in early pregnancy have a clinical impact by impeding the development of the placental vasculature. METHODS Tanzanian women (n = 138) were closely monitored during pregnancy. Placentas collected at birth were investigated using stereology to establish the characteristics of placental villi and vessels. Placental vasculature measures were compared between women infected with malaria and controls. RESULTS Compared with controls, placentas from women infected with malaria before a gestational age (GA) of 15 weeks had a decreased volume of transport villi (mean decrease [standard deviation], 12.45 [5.39] cm3; P = .02), an increased diffusion distance in diffusion vessels (mean increase, 3.33 [1.27] µm; P = .01), and a compensatory increase in diffusion vessel surface area (mean increase, 1.81 [0.74 m2]; P = .02). In women who had malaria before a GA of 15 weeks diffusion vessel surface area and transport vessel length distance were positive predictors for birth weight (multilinear regression: P = .007 and P = .055 for diffusion surface area and transport length, respectively) and GA at delivery (P = .005 and P = .04). CONCLUSIONS Malaria infection in early pregnancy impedes placental vascular development. The resulting phenotypic changes, which can be detected at delivery, are associated with birth weight and gestational length. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT02191683.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jens R Nyengaard
- Core Center for Molecular Morphology, Section for Stereology and Microscopy, Centre for Stochastic Geometry and Advanced Bioimaging, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University
| | - Lise G Larsen
- Department of Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Naestved, Denmark
| | | | - Ib C Bygbjerg
- Division of Global Health, Department of Public Health
| | | | - John P A Lusingu
- National Institute for Medical Research, Tanga Centre, Tanga, Tanzania
| | | | - Thor G Theander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen
| | - Christentze Schmiegelow
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen
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Cytokine signatures of Plasmodium vivax infection during pregnancy and delivery outcomes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008155. [PMID: 32365058 PMCID: PMC7224570 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax malaria is a neglected disease, particularly during pregnancy. Severe vivax malaria is associated with inflammatory responses but in pregnancy immune alterations make it uncertain as to what cytokine signatures predominate, and how the type and quantity of blood immune mediators influence delivery outcomes. We measured the plasma concentrations of a set of thirty-one biomarkers, comprising cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, in 987 plasma samples from a cohort of 572 pregnant women from five malaria-endemic tropical countries and related these concentrations to delivery outcomes (birth weight and hemoglobin levels) and malaria infection. Samples were collected at recruitment (first antenatal visit) and at delivery (periphery, cord and placenta). At recruitment, we found that P. vivax–infected pregnant women had higher plasma concentrations of proinflammatory (IL-6, IL-1β, CCL4, CCL2, CXCL10) and TH1-related cytokines (mainly IL-12) than uninfected women. This biomarker signature was essentially lost at delivery and was not associated with birth weight nor hemoglobin levels. Antiinflammatory cytokines (IL-10) were positively associated with infection and poor delivery outcomes. CCL11 was the only biomarker to show a negative association with P. vivax infection and its concentration at recruitment was positively associated with hemoglobin levels at delivery. Birth weight was negatively associated with peripheral IL-4 levels at delivery. Our multi-biomarker multicenter study is the first comprehensive one to characterize the immunological signature of P. vivax infection in pregnancy thus far. In conclusion, data show that while TH1 and pro-inflammatory responses are dominant during P. vivax infection in pregnancy, antiinflammatory cytokines may compensate excessive inflammation avoiding poor delivery outcomes, and skewness toward a TH2 response may trigger worse delivery outcomes. CCL11, a chemokine largely neglected in the field of malaria, emerges as an important marker of exposure or mediator in this condition. Cytokine and growth factor plasma concentrations were evaluated in women from five countries endemic for malaria vivax, at different moments and blood compartments during pregnancy. P. vivax infection during pregnancy was associated with a pro-inflammatory and TH1 response, together with an antiinflammatory response. Nevertheless, at delivery most associations between cytokines and infection were lost. Of note, CCL11/eotaxin, a chemokine not generally analyzed in malaria studies, presented a lower concentration in P. vivax-infected women and a protective association with hemoglobin levels at delivery. Moreover, IL-4 levels had a negative association with birth weight. Data suggest that a compensated inflammatory/antiinflammatory response in P. vivax infection during pregnancy might avoid poor delivery outcomes, while a predominance of TH2 responses may be detrimental for birth weight. Further research is warranted to unravel the role of CCL11 in malaria infection or exposure.
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Imported Malaria in Countries where Malaria Is Not Endemic: a Comparison of Semi-immune and Nonimmune Travelers. Clin Microbiol Rev 2020; 33:33/2/e00104-19. [PMID: 32161068 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00104-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The continuous increase in long-distance travel and recent large migratory movements have changed the epidemiological characteristics of imported malaria in countries where malaria is not endemic (here termed non-malaria-endemic countries). While malaria was primarily imported to nonendemic countries by returning travelers, the proportion of immigrants from malaria-endemic regions and travelers visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) in malaria-endemic countries has continued to increase. VFRs and immigrants from malaria-endemic countries now make up the majority of malaria patients in many nonendemic countries. Importantly, this group is characterized by various degrees of semi-immunity to malaria, resulting from repeated exposure to infection and a gradual decline of protection as a result of prolonged residence in non-malaria-endemic regions. Most studies indicate an effect of naturally acquired immunity in VFRs, leading to differences in the parasitological features, clinical manifestation, and odds for severe malaria and clinical complications between immune VFRs and nonimmune returning travelers. There are no valid data indicating evidence for differing algorithms for chemoprophylaxis or antimalarial treatment in semi-immune versus nonimmune malaria patients. So far, no robust biomarkers exist that properly reflect anti-parasite or clinical immunity. Until they are found, researchers should rigorously stratify their study results using surrogate markers, such as duration of time spent outside a malaria-endemic country.
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Association of Angiopoietin Dysregulation in Placental Malaria with Adverse Birth Outcomes. DISEASE MARKERS 2020; 2020:6163487. [PMID: 32399088 PMCID: PMC7201683 DOI: 10.1155/2020/6163487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Malaria in pregnancy causes adverse birth outcomes due to sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in the placenta. Angiopoietins are critical regulators of vascular development and formation of placental villous vasculature. Angiopoietin-1 and Angiopoietin-2 concentrations were measured in peripheral and placental plasma samples from 70 malaria-infected and 216 control women using commercially available DuoSet ELISA development kit. Angiopoietins increased in placental plasma (ANG1-5833.5 pg/ml and ANG2-9580.6 pg/ml) as compared to peripheral plasma (ANG1-2293.1 pg/ml and ANG2-1198.9 pg/ml, p < 0.0001). The concentration of placental and peripheral ANG1 (6099.23 pg/ml and 2320.5 pg/ml) was significantly lower (5013.5 pg/ml, 2208.5 pg/ml), and ANG2 (9553.3 pg/ml, 1180.92 pg/ml) was significantly higher (9664.6 pg/ml, 1254.4 pg/ml) in malaria-positive cases as compared to malaria-negative (p < 0.0001). The association of dysregulated angiopoietins in malaria with adverse birth outcomes showed that the peripheral and placental ANG1 concentration was lower and ANG2 concentration was higher in low-birth-weight baby and stillbirth birth outcome as compared to normal deliveries among malaria-positive group. Therefore, ANG1 and ANG2 could be considered a biomarker for adverse outcome during malaria in pregnancy.
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38
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Lima FA, Barateiro A, Dombrowski JG, de Souza RM, Costa DDS, Murillo O, Epiphanio S, Gonçalves LA, Marinho CRF. Plasmodium falciparum infection dysregulates placental autophagy. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226117. [PMID: 31805150 PMCID: PMC6894763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium (P.) falciparum malaria during pregnancy has been frequently associated with severe consequences such as maternal anemia, abortion, premature birth, and reduced birth weight. Placental damage promotes disruption of the local homeostasis; though, the mechanisms underlying these events are still to be elucidated. Autophagy is a fundamental homeostatic mechanism in the natural course of pregnancy by which cells self-recycle in order to survive in stressful environments. Placentas from non-infected and P. falciparum-infected women during pregnancy were selected from a previous prospective cohort study conducted in the Brazilian Amazon (Acre, Brazil). Newborns from infected women experienced reduced birth weight (P = 0.0098) and placental immunopathology markers such as monocyte infiltrate (P < 0.0001) and IL-10 production (P = 0.0122). The placentas were evaluated for autophagy-related molecules. As a result, we observed reduced mRNA levels of ULK1 (P = 0.0255), BECN1 (P = 0.0019), and MAP1LC3B (P = 0.0086) genes in placentas from P. falciparum-infected, which was more striking in those diagnosed with placental malaria. Despite the protein levels of these genes followed the same pattern, the observed reduction was not statistically significant in placentas from P. falciparum-infected women. Nevertheless, our data suggest that chronic placental immunopathology due to P. falciparum infection leads to autophagy dysregulation, which might impair local homeostasis during malaria in pregnancy that may result in poor pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia Afonso Lima
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Barateiro
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Douglas de Sousa Costa
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Oscar Murillo
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Epiphanio
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lígia Antunes Gonçalves
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Liu J, Mosavati B, Oleinikov AV, Du E. Biosensors for Detection of Human Placental Pathologies: A Review of Emerging Technologies and Current Trends. Transl Res 2019; 213:23-49. [PMID: 31170377 PMCID: PMC6783355 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Substantial growth in the biosensor research has enabled novel, sensitive and point-of-care diagnosis of human diseases in the last decade. This paper presents an overview of the research in the field of biosensors that can potentially predict and diagnosis of common placental pathologies. A survey of biomarkers in maternal circulation and their characterization methods is presented, including markers of oxidative stress, angiogenic factors, placental debris, and inflammatory biomarkers that are associated with various pathophysiological processes in the context of pregnancy complications. Novel biosensors enabled by microfluidics technology and nanomaterials is then reviewed. Representative designs of plasmonic and electrochemical biosensors for highly sensitive and multiplexed detection of biomarkers, as well as on-chip sample preparation and sensing for automatic biomarker detection are illustrated. New trends in organ-on-a-chip based placental disease models are highlighted to illustrate the capability of these in vitro disease models in better understanding the complex pathophysiological processes, including mass transfer across the placental barrier, oxidative stress, inflammation, and malaria infection. Biosensor technologies that can be potentially embedded in the placental models for real time, label-free monitoring of these processes and events are suggested. Merger of cell culture in microfluidics and biosensing can provide significant potential for new developments in advanced placental models, and tools for diagnosis, drug screening and efficacy testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - Babak Mosavati
- College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - Andrew V Oleinikov
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - E Du
- College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida; Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida.
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40
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McDonald CR, Cahill LS, Gamble JL, Elphinstone R, Gazdzinski LM, Zhong KJY, Philson AC, Madanitsa M, Kalilani-Phiri L, Mwapasa V, Ter Kuile FO, Sled JG, Conroy AL, Kain KC. Malaria in pregnancy alters l-arginine bioavailability and placental vascular development. Sci Transl Med 2019. [PMID: 29514999 PMCID: PMC6510298 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aan6007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Reducing adverse birth outcomes due to malaria in pregnancy (MIP) is a global health priority. However, there are few safe and effective interventions. L-arginine is an essential amino acid in pregnancy and an immediate precursor in the biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO), but there are limited data on the impact of MIP on NO biogenesis. We hypothesized that hypoarginemia contributes to the pathophysiology of MIP and that L-arginine supplementation would improve birth outcomes. In a prospective study of pregnant Malawian women, we show that MIP was associated with lower concentrations of L- arginine and higher concentrations of endogenous inhibitors of NO biosynthesis, asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine, which were associated with adverse birth outcomes. In a model of experimental MIP, L-arginine supplementation in dams improved birth outcomes (decreased stillbirth and increased birth weight) compared with controls. The mechanism of action was via normalized angiogenic pathways and enhanced placental vascular development, as visualized by placental microcomputerized tomography imaging. These data define a role for dysregulation of NO biosynthetic pathways in the pathogenesis of MIP and support the evaluation of interventions to enhance L-arginine bioavailability as strategies to improve birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe R McDonald
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.,Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3HT, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Joel L Gamble
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Robyn Elphinstone
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Lisa M Gazdzinski
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3HT, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Kathleen J Y Zhong
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Adrienne C Philson
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | - Victor Mwapasa
- College of Medicine, University of Malawi, P.O. Box 280, Blantyre, Malawi
| | | | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3HT, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Andrea L Conroy
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada.,Tropical Disease Unit, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Kevin C Kain
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada. .,Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada.,Tropical Disease Unit, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada
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41
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Abstract
One hundred twenty-five million pregnant women are at risk for contracting malaria, a preventable cause of maternal and infant morbidity and death. Malaria parasites contribute to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes due to their preferential accumulation in placental intervillous spaces. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to malaria infections, and malaria infections during pregnancy put their fetuses at risk. Malaria in pregnancy is associated with anemia, stillbirth, low birth weight and maternal and fetal death. We review the challenges to diagnosing malaria in pregnancy, as well as strategies to prevent and treat malaria in pregnancy. Finally, we discuss the current gaps in knowledge and potential areas for continued research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Bauserman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
| | - Andrea L Conroy
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Krysten North
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Jackie Patterson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Carl Bose
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Steve Meshnick
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Gilligns School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC
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Boareto AC, Gomes C, Centeno Müller J, da Silva JG, Vergara F, Salum N, Maristany Sargaço R, de Carvalho RR, Queiroz Telles JE, Marinho CRF, Paumgartten FJR, Dalsenter PR. Maternal and fetal outcome of pregnancy in Swiss mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA GFP. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 89:107-114. [PMID: 31310803 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Malaria in pregnant women is associated with risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and there are few antimalarial drugs considered safe to treat them, so it is necessary to develop safer antimalarial medicines. The goal of this study was to develop an animal model for human malaria during pregnancy by characterizing the maternal and fetal outcomes in malaria infected Swiss mice. For that, in the present study, we evaluated the outcome of pregnancy in Swiss mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKAGFP. We observed a reduction of fetal body weight and signs of skeletal ossification retardation in the offspring of mice infected on GD 12. The group of mice infected with malaria presented premature deliveries and histopathology changes consistent with placental malaria. Our study suggests that Swiss Webster mice infected with P. berghei ANKAGFP on GD 12 might be a valuable model to investigate the safety and the efficacy of new antimalarial drugs indicated to pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cláudia Boareto
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil.
| | - Caroline Gomes
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Juliane Centeno Müller
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Jonas Golart da Silva
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil; Department of Chemistry and Biology, Federal University of Technology - Paraná, Cidade Industrial, Curitiba, PR, 81020-430, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Vergara
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Noruê Salum
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Maristany Sargaço
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Rosângela Ribeiro de Carvalho
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21041-210, Brazil
| | | | - Cláudio Romero Farias Marinho
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 03178-200, Brazil
| | - Francisco José Roma Paumgartten
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21041-210, Brazil
| | - Paulo Roberto Dalsenter
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Centro Politécnico, PO Box 19031, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil
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43
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Barateiro A, Pereira MLM, Epiphanio S, Marinho CRF. Contribution of Murine Models to the Study of Malaria During Pregnancy. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1369. [PMID: 31275284 PMCID: PMC6594417 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Annually, many pregnancies occur in areas of Plasmodium spp. transmission, particularly in underdeveloped countries with widespread poverty. Estimations have suggested that several million women are at risk of developing malaria during pregnancy. In particular cases, systemic infection caused by Plasmodium spp. may extend to the placenta, dysregulating local homeostasis and promoting the onset of placental malaria; these processes are often associated with increased maternal and fetal mortality, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm delivery, and reduced birth weight. The endeavor to understand and characterize the mechanisms underlying disease onset and placental pathology face several ethical and logistical obstacles due to explicit difficulties in assessing human gestation and biological material. Consequently, the advent of murine experimental models for the study of malaria during pregnancy has substantially contributed to our understanding of this complex pathology. Herein, we summarize research conducted during recent decades using murine models of malaria during pregnancy and highlight the most relevant findings, as well as discuss similarities to humans and the translational capacity of achieved results.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Barateiro
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo L M Pereira
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Biosystems and Integrative Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sabrina Epiphanio
- Department of Clinical Analysis and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudio R F Marinho
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Phosphorylation of the VAR2CSA extracellular region is associated with enhanced adhesive properties to the placental receptor CSA. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000308. [PMID: 31181082 PMCID: PMC6586358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is the main cause of disease and death from malaria. P. falciparum virulence resides in the ability of infected erythrocytes (IEs) to sequester in various tissues through the interaction between members of the polymorphic P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) adhesin family to various host receptors. Here, we investigated the effect of phosphorylation of variant surface antigen 2-CSA (VAR2CSA), a member of the PfEMP1 family associated to placental sequestration, on its capacity to adhere to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) present on the placental syncytium. We showed that phosphatase treatment of IEs impairs cytoadhesion to CSA. MS analysis of recombinant VAR2CSA phosphosites prior to and after phosphatase treatment, as well as of native VAR2CSA expressed on IEs, identified critical phosphoresidues associated with CSA binding. Site-directed mutagenesis on recombinant VAR2CSA of 3 phosphoresidues localised within the CSA-binding region confirmed in vitro their functional importance. Furthermore, using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein-9 nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9), we generated a parasite line in which the phosphoresidue T934 is changed to alanine and showed that this mutation strongly impairs IEs cytoadhesion to CSA. Taken together, these results demonstrate that phosphorylation of the extracellular region of VAR2CSA plays a major role in IEs cytoadhesion to CSA and provide new molecular insights for strategies aiming to reduce the morbidity and mortality of PM.
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Differential Activation of Fetal Hofbauer Cells in Primigravidas Is Associated with Decreased Birth Weight in Symptomatic Placental Malaria. Malar Res Treat 2019; 2019:1378174. [PMID: 31186834 PMCID: PMC6521392 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1378174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Placental malaria is a leading global cause of low birth weight neonates, especially in first-time mothers. To better understand the role of innate immunity in placental malaria, we investigated the relationships between histopathological markers of placental malaria, fetal and maternal macrophage responses, and perinatal outcomes in a cross-sectional case control study of pregnant women presenting with symptomatic malaria at the time of delivery. Results Primigravidas showed increased hemozoin deposition in placental villi (p=0.02), syncytiotrophoblasts (p=0.01), and fetal Hofbauer cells (p=0.01). The percentage of hemozoin-positive villi negatively correlated with infant birth weight (regression coefficient [b] = -0.03 kg decrease in birth weight per % increase in hemozoin-positive villi, p=0.035). Malaria-infected placentas showed a twofold increase in Hofbauer cells (p<0.001) and maternal macrophages (p<0.001). Placental malaria was associated with a threefold increase in the percentage of M2 maternal macrophages (19.2% vs 6.4%, p=0.01). Primigravidas showed a significant decrease in the Hofbauer cell M2-percentage in placental malaria (92.7% vs. 97.0%, p=0.04), which was predictive of infant birth weight (b=0.08 kg increase in birth weight per % increase in M2 Hofbauer cells, p=0.001). There was no association between maternal macrophage response and infant birth weights. Conclusions Placentas with malarial infection had increased numbers of fetal Hofbauer cells in the villous stroma and maternal macrophages in the intervillous space. In primigravidas, decreased anti-inflammatory M2-type Hofbauer cells were predictive of lower birth weight. M2-type maternal macrophages were increased in placental malaria, but there was no association with gravidity or birth weight. These results suggested a protective role of M2 Hofbauer cells in fetal growth restriction.
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46
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Oktavianthi S, Fauzi M, Trianty L, Trimarsanto H, Bowolaksono A, Noviyanti R, Malik SG. Placental mitochondrial DNA copy number is associated with reduced birth weight in women with placental malaria. Placenta 2019; 80:1-3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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47
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Okojie AK, Rauf K, Iyare E. The Impact of Plasmodium Berghei Exposure In-utero on Neurobehavioral Profile in Mice. Basic Clin Neurosci 2019; 10:99-107. [PMID: 31031897 PMCID: PMC6484196 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.9.10.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The World Health Organization estimates that about 25 million pregnant mothers are currently at risk for malaria, and that malaria accounts for over 10,000 maternal and 200,000 neonatal deaths per year. The current hypothesis of early life programming supports the premise that many developmental delay and disorders may have their origin In-utero. Therefore, the current study aimed at evaluating the possible impact of experimental malaria exposure In-utero on neurobehavioral profile in mice offspring. Methods: Pregnant mice were intraperitoneally infected on gestational day 13 with 1.02×105 infected red blood cells. Pregnant mice (both infected and uninfected) were allowed to deliver and the offspring were monitored up to postnatal day 42 when anxiety-like, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and locomotor activity were evaluated using elevated plus maze, marble burying, and Open Field Test, respectively. Results: The current study showed that maternal infection with Plasmodium berghei resulted in an interesting behavior in offspring characterized by increased anxiety-like and OCD behaviors. Locomotor activity was however not affected. Conclusion: It may be concluded that In-utero exposure to experimental malaria in mice causes behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhabue Keneth Okojie
- Reproductive and Developmental Programming Research Group, Department of Physiology, Enugu Campus, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.,Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.,Department of Physiology, Edo University Iyamho, Uzairue, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Khalid Rauf
- Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Eghosa Iyare
- Reproductive and Developmental Programming Research Group, Department of Physiology, Enugu Campus, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
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48
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Clark RL. Genesis of placental sequestration in malaria and possible targets for drugs for placental malaria. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:569-583. [PMID: 30919596 PMCID: PMC7432169 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Malaria during pregnancy results in intrauterine growth restriction, fetal anemia, and infant mortality. Women are more susceptible to malaria during pregnancy due to malaria‐induced inflammation and the sequestration of infected red blood cells in the placenta, which bind to the chondroitin sulfate portion of syndecan‐1 on the syncytiotrophoblast and in the intervillous space. Syndecan‐1 is a dimeric proteoglycan with an extracellular ectodomain that is cleaved from the transmembrane domain (referred to as “shedding”) by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), likely the secreted MMP‐9. The ectodomain includes four binding sites for chondroitin sulfate, which are proximal to the transmembrane domain, and six distal binding sites primarily for heparan sulfate. This “shedding” of syndecan‐1 is inhibited by the presence of the heparan sulfate chains, which can be removed by heparanase. The intervillous space contains fibrin strands and syndecan‐1 ectodomains free of heparan sulfate. The following is proposed as the sequence of events that leads to and is primarily responsible for sequestration in the intervillous space of the placenta. Inflammation associated with malaria triggers increased heparanase activity that degrades the heparan sulfate on the membrane‐bound syndecan‐1. Inflammation also upregulates MMP‐9 and the removal of heparan sulfate gives MMP‐9 access to cleave syndecan‐1, thereby releasing dimeric syndecan‐1 ectodomains with at least four chondroitin sulfate chains attached. These multivalent ectodomains bind infected RBCs together leading to their aggregation and entrapment in intervillous fibrin. This mechanism suggests possible new targets for anti‐placental malaria drugs such as the inhibition of MMP‐9. Doxycycline is an antimalarial drug which inhibits MMP‐9.
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49
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Schmiegelow C, Matondo S, Minja DTR, Resende M, Pehrson C, Nielsen BB, Olomi R, Nielsen MA, Deloron P, Salanti A, Lusingu J, Theander TG. Plasmodium falciparum Infection Early in Pregnancy has Profound Consequences for Fetal Growth. J Infect Dis 2019; 216:1601-1610. [PMID: 29029247 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria during pregnancy constitutes a large health problem in areas of endemicity. The World Health Organization recommends that interventions are initiated at the first antenatal visit, and these improve pregnancy outcomes. This study evaluated fetal growth by ultrasonography and birth outcomes in women who were infected prior to the first antenatal visit (gestational age, <120 days) and not later in pregnancy. Compared with uninfected controls, women with early Plasmodium falciparum exposure had retarded intrauterine growth between gestational ages of 212 and 253 days (difference between means, 107 g [95% confidence interval {CI}, 26-188]; P = .0099) and a shorter pregnancy duration (difference between means, 6.6 days [95% CI, 1.0-112.5]; P = .0087). The birth weight (difference between means, 221 g [95% CI, 6-436]; P = .044) and the placental weight (difference between means, 84 g [95% CI, 18-150]; P = .013) at term were also reduced. The study suggests that early exposure to P. falciparum, which is not targeted for prevention by current control strategies, has a profound impact on fetal growth, pregnancy duration, and placental weight at term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christentze Schmiegelow
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
| | - Sungwa Matondo
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania.,Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Daniel T R Minja
- National Institute for Medical Research, Tanga Medical Research Center, Tanzania
| | - Mafalda Resende
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
| | - Caroline Pehrson
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
| | | | - Raimos Olomi
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania.,Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Morten A Nielsen
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
| | - Philippe Deloron
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR 216, MERIT, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de pharmacie, Paris, France
| | - Ali Salanti
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
| | - John Lusingu
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.,National Institute for Medical Research, Tanga Medical Research Center, Tanzania
| | - Thor G Theander
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
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50
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Chêne A, Gangnard S, Guadall A, Ginisty H, Leroy O, Havelange N, Viebig NK, Gamain B. Preclinical immunogenicity and safety of the cGMP-grade placental malaria vaccine PRIMVAC. EBioMedicine 2019; 42:145-156. [PMID: 30885725 PMCID: PMC6491931 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background VAR2CSA is the lead antigen for developing a vaccine that would protect pregnant women against placental malaria. A multi-system feasibility study has identified E. coli as a suitable bacterial expression platform allowing the production of recombinant VAR2CSA-DBL1x-2x (PRIMVAC) to envisage a prompt transition to current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) vaccine production. Methods Extensive process developments were undertaken to produce cGMP grade PRIMVAC to permit early phase clinical trials. PRIMVAC stability upon storage was assessed over up to 3 years. A broad toxicology investigation was carried out in rats allowing meanwhile the analysis of PRIMVAC immunogenicity. Findings We describe the successful cGMP production of 4. 65 g of PRIMVAC. PRIMVAC drug product was stable and potent for up to 3 years upon storage at −20 °C and showed an absence of toxicity in rats. PRIMVAC adjuvanted with Alhydrogel® or GLA-SE was able to generate antibodies able to recognize VAR2CSA expressed at the surface of erythrocytes infected with different strains. These antibodies also inhibit the interaction of the homologous NF54-CSA strain and to a lower extend of heterologous strains to CSA. Interpretation This work paved the way for the clinical development of an easily scalable low cost effective vaccine that could protect against placental malaria and prevent an estimated 10,000 maternal and 200,000 infant deaths annually. Fund This work was supported by a grant from the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Germany through Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) (Reference No: 202060457) and through funding from Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Chêne
- Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Inserm, INTS, Unité Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge UMR_S1134, Severe Malaria Pathogenesis group, Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Gangnard
- Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Inserm, INTS, Unité Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge UMR_S1134, Severe Malaria Pathogenesis group, Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Anna Guadall
- Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Inserm, INTS, Unité Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge UMR_S1134, Severe Malaria Pathogenesis group, Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Hervé Ginisty
- GTP Technology, l'Occitane, 31670 Labège, Cedex, France
| | - Odile Leroy
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Voßstraße 2, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicolas Havelange
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Voßstraße 2, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicola K Viebig
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Voßstraße 2, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Benoît Gamain
- Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Inserm, INTS, Unité Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge UMR_S1134, Severe Malaria Pathogenesis group, Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France.
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