Transcriptome profiling of intrahepatocytic Plasmodium and their host hepatocytes based on the infection phase and the zonation of the liver

TL;DR

This study compares gene activity in malaria parasites and their host liver cells during infection in both lab and real-life conditions.

Contribution

The study reveals distinct gene expression patterns between in vitro and in vivo Plasmodium infections.

Findings

In vitro and in vivo parasite subpopulations show distinct gene expression patterns.

A joint analysis of parasite and host transcriptomes provides insights into liver-stage infection dynamics.

The in vivo setting reveals transcriptional dynamics similar to actual disease progression.

Abstract

Intrahepatocytic development is a key stage in human Plasmodium infection, in which sporozoites replicate and transform into merozoites. Due to technological limitations, however, previous gene expression studies on malaria parasite liver infection were mostly conducted in vitro. In order to bridge these gaps, our current study compared the gene expression of in vitro-infected parasites at different time points with that of in vivo-infected parasites and revealed distinct patterns between parasite subpopulations in vitro and in vivo. A joint investigation of the Plasmodium transcriptome and their host transcriptome was carried out to confer a comprehensive analysis of gene expression in the liver stage of Plasmodium infection in vivo, which is similar to the disease setting, and therefore deepen our understanding of parasite and host transcriptional dynamics during intrahepatocytic infection.

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