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Elimination of hepatic rodent plasmodium parasites by amino acid supplementation

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:Plasmodium parasites, causative agents of malaria, scavenge host nutrients to sustain their intracellular replication. Modulation of the host's nutritional status can potentially help control infection by limiting the parasite's access to nutrients, or by boosting the immune system. Here, we show that dietary supplementation of mice employing a combination of arginine (R) with two additional amino acids, lysine (K) and valine (V), termed RKV, significantly decreases Plasmodium liver infection. RKV supplementation results in the elimination of parasites at a late stage of their development in the liver. Our data employing genetic knockout mouse models and in vivo depletion of specific cell populations suggest that RKV supplementation boosts the host's overall innate immune response, and that parasite elimination is dependent on MyD88 signaling in immune cells. The immunostimulatory effect of RKV supplementation opens a potential role for dietary supplementation as an adjuvant for prophylaxis or immunization strategies against Plasmodium infection.
Autores principais:Meireles, Patricia
Outros Autores:Brás, Daniela; Fontinha, Diana; Chora, Ângelo Ferreira; Serre, Karine; Mendes, António M.; Prudêncio, Miguel
Assunto:Diet Parasitology Physiology
Ano:2020
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:artigo
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Universidade de Lisboa
Idioma:inglês
Origem:Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa
Descrição
Resumo:Plasmodium parasites, causative agents of malaria, scavenge host nutrients to sustain their intracellular replication. Modulation of the host's nutritional status can potentially help control infection by limiting the parasite's access to nutrients, or by boosting the immune system. Here, we show that dietary supplementation of mice employing a combination of arginine (R) with two additional amino acids, lysine (K) and valine (V), termed RKV, significantly decreases Plasmodium liver infection. RKV supplementation results in the elimination of parasites at a late stage of their development in the liver. Our data employing genetic knockout mouse models and in vivo depletion of specific cell populations suggest that RKV supplementation boosts the host's overall innate immune response, and that parasite elimination is dependent on MyD88 signaling in immune cells. The immunostimulatory effect of RKV supplementation opens a potential role for dietary supplementation as an adjuvant for prophylaxis or immunization strategies against Plasmodium infection.