Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024530 (malaria)
 44,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

It is known that malaria parasites are inhibited by sulfonamides and antifolate compounds, require 4-aminobenzoic acid for growth, and respond only partly to intact folic and folinic acids. Biochemical data obtained during the last decade on the synthesis of nucleic acid precursors and on folate enzymes in malaria support the hypothesis that malaria parasites are similar to microorganisms that synthesize folate cofactors de novo. Sulfa drugs inhibit plasmodial dihydropteroate synthase (EC 2.5.1.15). Pyrimethamine and many other antifolate compounds bind to tetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (EC 1.5.1.3) of the parasite more tightly than to the host enzyme. However, the metabolic consequences of the depletion of folate cofactors as a result of drug inhibition are not yet known. Other areas to be studied are the origin of the pteridine moiety of folates, the addition of glutamate(s) in folate cofactor biosynthesis, the means by which intact, exogenous folates affect malarial growth, and demonstration of the enzymes and reactions involving N(5)-methyl tetrahydrofolate.
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PMID:Folate metabolism in malaria. 33 84

The IgG and IgM antibody responses to the C-terminal 783 amino acids of the P. falciparum glutamate-rich protein, GLURP489-1271, expressed as an E. coli fusion protein, the IgG response to a 18-mer synthetic peptide EDKNEKGQHEIVEVEEIL (GLURP899-916) representing the C-terminal repeats of GLURP, and a synthetic peptide (EENV)6 representing the C-terminal repeats from Pf155/RESA, were investigated longitudinally in 13 children and 7 adults living under conditions of continuous, intense malaria transmission. Some subjects did not recognize the antigens after malaria infection, and in subjects recognizing the antigens, the responses were often short-lived. In adults, the antibody responses to the GLURP489-1271 fusion protein and the (EENV)6 peptide peaked after 2 weeks, and not all individuals responded to all antigens. The antibody response, even against large fragments of conserved antigens, is not uniformly elicited by natural malaria infection in previously primed donors.
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PMID:The antibody response to well-defined malaria antigens after acute malaria in individuals living under continuous malaria transmission. 135 31

Ammonia, lactate and glutamate levels and the activities of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glutaminase (GLN), aspartate transaminase (AST), phosphofructokinase (PFK) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) were compared in the brain tissue of normal and P. yoelii infected mice. The brain lactate increased by 96% at peak parasitaemia. Cerebral ammonia also exhibited an increase in infected mice which was parasitaemia dependent, while glutamate remained almost unchanged. The brain glutamine synthetase registered an increase of 35% (P < 0.001) in post-mitochondrial fractions, this effect being perceptible even at low parasitaemia, but attained constancy at parasitaemia levels higher than 20%. The activity of monoamine oxidase and phosphofructokinase increased by 105% (P < 0.02) and 41% (P < 0.05) respectively while glutamate dehydrogenase decreased by 15% (P < 0.001). Glutaminase and aspartate transaminase were not significantly influenced by infection (tested only at high parasitaemia levels). It has been postulated that cerebral hypoxia and aberrations in ammonia metabolism may both contribute towards malaria induced cerebral complications.
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PMID:Cerebral ammonia levels and enzyme changes during Plasmodium yoelii infection in mice. 136 Oct 9

The changes in mental status during cerebral malaria, heat stroke, and recovery from major surgery are clinically similar, and are associated with high circulating concentrations of cytokines that can induce nitric oxide generation in vascular walls. This vascular nitric oxide could diffuse across the blood brain barrier, causing functional changes that include inhibition of glutamate-induced calcium entry, reduced activity of the calcium-dependent nitric oxide synthase, and thus reduced nitric oxide formation, in post-synaptic neurons. Certain general anaesthetics and ethanol reduce glutamate-induced calcium entry into post-synaptic cells, and so would also reduce the rate of formation of neuronal nitric oxide. In view of the apparent importance of glutamate-induced nitric oxide in excitatory neurotransmission, a reduction in neuronal nitric oxide could help explain why these otherwise unrelated influences alter central nervous system function in a similar manner. In particular, this reduction could rationalise why heat stroke, ethanol excess, morphine poisoning, and conditions with high blood ammonia concentrations are easily confused clinically with cerebral malaria.
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PMID:Possible central role of nitric oxide in conditions clinically similar to cerebral malaria. 138 58

This report describes a novel mu chain capture ELISA for the detection of IgM antibodies against a Plasmodium falciparum antigen. A fragment of the 220 kDa P. falciparum glutamate rich protein containing amino acid residues 489-1271 was expressed in E. coli as a recombinant chimeric beta-galactosidase fusion protein and used as antigen after purification and biotinylation. Specific IgM antibodies were found in 51% (39/77) of sera from adult Liberians immune to malaria. The binding of IgM antibodies was specific for the malaria portion of the fusion protein and no cross-reactivity was found in sera from patients with IgM antibodies due to other diseases. Inhibition studies with a fusion protein containing amino acid residues 816-1134 (GLURP816-1134) representing the carboxy-terminal repeat region suggested a different use of epitopes for IgM antibodies in different individuals.
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PMID:Capture ELISA for IgM antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum glutamate rich protein. 143 Nov 49

A Plasmodium falciparum antigen gene coding for a 220-kD glutamate-rich protein (GLURP) has been cloned, and the 783 C-terminal amino acids of this protein (GLURP489-1271) have been expressed as a beta-galactosidase fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The encoded 783 amino acid residues contain two areas of repeated amino acid sequences. Antibodies against recombinant GLURP489-1271, as well as against a synthetic peptide corresponding to GLURP899-916, and against a synthetic peptide representing the major glutamate rich repeat sequence from the P. falciparum ring erythrocyte surface antigen (Pf155/RESA) (EENV)6 were examined in 423 individuals (age range 30 days-78 years) living in a malaria holoendemic area of Liberia. In the 5-9-year-old age group, subjects with anti-GLURP489-1271 antibody concentrations greater than the mean value of the group had lower parasite densities than those with low antibody concentrations (P = 0.0151). High levels of anti-GLURP899-916 antibodies did not correlate with low parasite densities. However, high levels of anti-(EENV)6 antibodies were associated with significantly lower parasite densities in the 2-4-year-old age group (P = 0.0189). There was no correlation between the anti-GLURP489-1271 and anti-(EENV)6 antibody responses. The data provide indirect evidence for a protective role of antibodies reacting with recombinant GLURP489-1271 as well as with the synthetic peptide (EENV)6 from the Pf155/RESA.
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PMID:Antibodies to a recombinant glutamate-rich Plasmodium falciparum protein: evidence for protection of individuals living in a holoendemic area of Liberia. 155 70

A method for purification of a recombinant Plasmodium falciparum protein produced in E. coli and its use in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is described. The cloned gene fragment encodes GLURP,489-1271 the carboxy-terminal 783 amino acid residue portion of a 1271 amino acid residue P. falciparum glutamate rich protein (GLURP), with a molecular weight of 220 kilodalton. The protein is associated with all parasite stages in the human host. Examination of sera from 105 adult Liberians living in a malaria endemic area revealed anti-GLURP IgG antibodies in 98% of the sera. The recombinant GLURP489-1271 was expressed as a chimeric protein, fused with E. coli beta-galactosidase. However, antibodies in sera were directed only against the malaria part of the fusion protein and not against beta-galactosidase. Antigen from in vitro P. falciparum cultures of isolates from Tanzania (F32), Papua New Guinea (MAD20) and Honduras (HB3) completely absorbed specific antibodies, indicating the presence of conserved epitopes produced by all isolates of P. falciparum. Recombinant GLURP489-1271 ELISA is sensitive and rapid, and therefore well-suited for sero-epidemiological studies, and for control of the immunogenicity of a possible future P. falciparum vaccine utilizing epitopes from GLURP.
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PMID:Recombinant Plasmodium falciparum glutamate rich protein; purification and use in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 203 52

Plasmodium falciparum was shown to synthesize pteroylpolyglutamate de novo from guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP), p-aminobenzoate (PABA), and L-glutamate (L-Glu). The parasite also had the capacity to synthesize pteroylpolyglutamate from both intact and degradation moieties (p-aminobenzoylglutamate and pterin-aldehyde) of exogenous folate added into the growth medium. The major product was identified as 5-methyl-tetrahydroteroylpentaglutamate following exposure to pteroylpolyglutamate hydrolase and oxidative degradation of the C9-N10 bond in the molecule and identification of products by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Inhibition of pteroylpentaglutamate synthesis from the radiolabelled metabolic precursors (GTP, PABA, L-Glu) and folate by the antifolate antimalarials, pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine at therapeutic concentrations, may suggest the existence of a unique biosynthetic pathway in the malaria parasite.
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PMID:De novo and salvage biosynthesis of pteroylpentaglutamates in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. 264 36

A randomized double blind study was performed to evaluate the tolerance and the acceptance of mefloquine alone (Lariam) compared to a combined drug regimen consisting of mefloquine, sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine (MSP; Fansimef) in the prophylaxis of malaria. 175 Europeans travelling to different malaria endemic areas received either mefloquine alone (250 mg/week) or its combination with sulfadoxine (500 mg/week) plus pyrimethamine (25 mg/week). One person taking mefloquine and two taking MSP discontinued the drug intake because of moderate clinical side effects. Mild and moderate adverse clinical reactions predominantly concerning the gastro-intestinal tract and the autonomous nervous system were reported with a significantly higher occurrence in the MSP group. With both prophylactic regimens, reversibly elevated liver enzyme activities (glutamate oxalate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase [GPT]) were observed after prophylaxis. The increase of GPT serum activity correlated significantly with relatively high GPT levels before prophylaxis in both groups. This finding suggests a limited use of both regimens in cases of liver dysfunction. One case of mefloquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria was observed from West Africa; this patient was cured by a standard regimen of chloroquine.
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PMID:Tolerance of mefloquine alone and in combination with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in the prophylaxis of malaria. 269 82

Plasmodium falciparum-infected human erythrocytes grown in vitro do not release 14CO2 when incubated in the presence of [1-14C]glutamate, despite the presence of glutamate dehydrogenase, implying the absence of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity and the lack of functional tricarboxylic acid cycle in the human malaria parasite. Cultures incubated with [14C]bicarbonate, however, fix CO2 into acid-stable metabolites; CO2 fixation proceeds linearly for up to two hours after an initial brief lag and may contribute appreciably to the metabolism of the parasite.
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PMID:Absence of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity and presence of CO2-fixing activity in Plasmodium falciparum grown in vitro in human erythrocytes. 614 96


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