Blood-Stage Protein Identified as Key Target for Antimalarial Drugs

A poorly studied malaria protein could serve as a key drug target to help combat the growing problem of resistance. Transcript A poorly studied malaria protein – Plasmodium falciparum histone deacetylase 1 – could serve as a key drug target to help combat the growing problem of resistance. The protein helps regulate the 'intraerythrocytic' stage of the parasite: a 48-hour cycle in which the parasite invades, replicates, and bursts free from red blood cells, causing disease symptoms. By making this protein fluorescent, researchers found that it is associated with a range of major biological functions that help the parasite progress through this stage, particularly during the 'trophozoite' (or mature) stage. When PfHDAC1 was overexpressed, the number of malaria parasites increased – along with the expression of other genes responsible for parasite development. Dihydroartemisinin—a key antimalarial drug—ordinarily interferes with these biological processes, but overexpression of the protein leads to reduced sensitivity and resistance. This research reveals more about the parasite lifecycle in the human body and suggests a new drug target against it. Source PfHDAC1 is an essential regulator of P. falciparum asexual proliferation and host cell invasion genes with a dynamic genomic occupancy responsive to artemisinin stress About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.