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Correlation between ‘H’ blood group antigen and Plasmodium falciparum invasion

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Abstract

The ABO blood group system is the most important blood group system in clinical practice. The relationship between Plasmodium falciparum and ABO blood groups has been studied for many years. This study was undertaken to investigate the abilities of different blood group erythrocytes to support in vitro growth of P. falciparum parasites. P. falciparum parasites of four different strains (3D7, 7G8, Dd2 and RKL9) were co-cultured with erythrocytes of blood group ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘O’ (n = 10 for each) and ‘Oh’ (Bombay group) (n = 7) for 5 days. Statistically significant differences were observed on the fourth day among the mean percent parasitemias of ‘O’, non-‘O’ (‘A’ and ‘B’) and ‘Oh’ group cultures. The parasitemias of four strains ranged from 12.23 to 14.66, 11.68 to 13.24, 16.89 to 22.3, and 7.37 to 11.27 % in ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘O’ and Bombay group cultures, respectively. As the expression of H antigen decreased from ‘O’ blood group to ‘A’ and ‘B’ and then to Bombay blood group, parasite invasion (percent parasitemia) also decreased significantly (p < 0.01) and concomitantly, indicating the association of parasite invasion with the amount of H antigen present on the surface of erythrocyte. Thus, the question arises, could H antigen be involved in P. falciparum invasion? To evaluate erythrocyte invasion inhibition, ‘O’ group erythrocytes were virtually converted to Bombay group-like erythrocytes by the treatment of anti-H lectins extracted from Ulex europaeus seeds. Mean percent parasitemia of lectin-treated cultures on the fourth day was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of non-treated cultures and was found to be similar with the mean percent parasitemia demonstrated by the Bombay group erythrocyte cultures, thus further strengthening the hypothesis.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Dr. Ajit Gorakshakar from the Red Cell Serology Department, National Institute of Immunohaematology (ICMR), for providing the Bombay blood group samples and anti-H lectin extracts from Ulex europaeus seeds. We are also thankful to Dr. Shobhana Sharma from the Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, for providing working culture of P. falciparum strain 3D7, to Dr. Anup Anvikar from National Malaria Research Institute (NIMR), New Delhi, for providing working culture of P. falciparum strain RKL9 and to Dr. Paushali Mukherjee from International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, for providing frozen P. falciparum strain Dd2 and 7G8 parasites. The study was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Haematogenetics, National Institute of Immunohaematology (ICMR), KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

    Vrushali Pathak & Roshan Colah

  2. Surat Raktadan Kendra & Research Centre, 1st Fl. Udhna Khatodara Urban Health Centre, Udhna Magdalla Road, Surat, Gujarat, 395002, India

    Kanjaksha Ghosh

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  1. Vrushali Pathak
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  2. Roshan Colah
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  3. Kanjaksha Ghosh
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Correspondence to Kanjaksha Ghosh.

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Pathak, V., Colah, R. & Ghosh, K. Correlation between ‘H’ blood group antigen and Plasmodium falciparum invasion. Ann Hematol 95, 1067–1075 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-016-2663-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-016-2663-5

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