Estimating merozoite release number and reinvasion efficiency in Plasmodium falciparum cell culture

D.D. van Niekerk, M.M. Oosthuizen, F. du Toit, J.L. Snoep

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

4 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

During its asexual growth, Plasmodium falciparum undergoes a number of 48 h intra-erythrocytic cycles, punctuated by reinvasion events. The biomass formation dynamics can be described by three key parameters: the period of the growth cycle (for P. falciparum, typically 48 h), the merozoite release number (variable between 8 and 32), and the reinvasion efficiency (variable between 20 and 40% in cell cultures). An accurate estimation of these parameters is important to describe growth dynamics, and for evaluating working mechanisms of anti-malaria drugs. Standard techniques for the estimation of merozoite release number and reinvasion efficiency are based on interpretation of microscope images, typically involve fairly low numbers of observations and are laborious. Here, we employ a combined experimental and mathematical modelling approach that is based on metabolic end-product formation and parasitaemia dynamics, to quantify the key parameters for Plasmodium biomass formation in cell cultures in vitro. We present experimental data for Plasmodium falciparum, together with a mechanistic model for the mathematical analysis, and finally an easy-to-use method for a direct analysis of the experimental data. The results are in agreement with previously published results, but–importantly–are average values for all cells in the culture, i.e. based on a large number of cells, and are reproducible between independent experiments.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)147-155
Number of pages9
JournalTransactions of the Royal Society of South Africa
Volume76
Issue number2
Early online date28 Sept 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Special Issue on Malaria in Southern Africa.

Publisher copyright:
© 2021 Royal Society of South Africa

Funding

We acknowledge the financial assistance from the DSI-NRF (Department of Science and Innovation, National Research Foundation) in South Africa, particularly for funding the SARChI (South African Research Chairs Initiative) initiative (Jacky Snoep NRF-SARCHI-82813), and the CSUR (Competitive Support for Unrated Researchers) (David van Niekerk ID 116298) programme.

FundersFunder number
DSI-NRF
Department of Science and Innovation
National Research Foundation116298, NRF-SARCHI-82813

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Estimating merozoite release number and reinvasion efficiency in Plasmodium falciparum cell culture'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this