Developing a new control measure of malaria by adjusting host nutrition

The onset of Plasmodium falciparum begins with the rupture of red blood cells infected with the malaria parasite. As the infection progresses, the number of infected red blood cells increases, and serious symptoms such as severe anemia, multiple organ failure, and coma occur if appropriate treatment is not given. From previous studies, it has been shown that feeding a diet lacking isoleucine markedly reduces the proliferation of protozoa. Since the growth rate of malaria is strongly influenced by the number of daughter cells (merozoites) produced, the effect of isoleucine in blood on the number of merozoites produced by the malaria parasite was examined in vitro and in vivo. Feeding BALB/c mice with a diet containing isoleucine content inhibited the proliferation of the rodent malaria parasite (P. berghei ANKA) in an isoleucine dose-dependent manner. Culturing P. falciparum in an isoleucine-depleted environment showed a decrease in the number of merozoites per infected red blood cell. Combined with the fact that humans, the host, were malnourished from tens of thousands of years ago when malaria parasites established human infection until recent years, these results suggest that an increase in the number of merozoites produced by the host’s amino acid saturation is associated with exacerbation of malaria. It was suggested that this may be one of the causes of

Project details

Basic Science

Oct 2020 — Mar 2023

$164,178

Japan