AUTHOR=Sakoguchi Akihito , Arase Hisashi 

TITLE=Mechanisms for Host Immune Evasion Mediated by Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocyte Surface Antigens

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.901864

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.901864

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Plasmodium falciparum</italic> infection causes the most severe form of malaria. It has been hypothesized that <italic>P. falciparum</italic> directly suppresses host immune responses because sufficient acquired immunity is often not induced even by repeated <italic>P. falciparum</italic> infections in malaria-endemic areas. It is known that many kinds of <italic>P. falciparum</italic>-derived proteins are expressed on the surface of <italic>P. falciparum</italic>-infected erythrocytes (IEs), and these proteins have long been thought to be a key to the elucidation of the host immune evasion mechanisms. Our recent studies have revealed that the <italic>P. falciparum</italic>-derived erythrocyte surface antigen, RIFIN, the largest multiple gene family protein in the <italic>P. falciparum</italic> genome, suppresses host immune cell activation through direct interaction with human inhibitory immune receptors. In this review, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms for host immune evasion by <italic>P. falciparum</italic>-infected erythrocyte surface antigens. In addition, we will discuss the recently identified host immune response to <italic>P. falciparum</italic> using specialized antibodies that target host-<italic>P. falciparum</italic>-derived molecule interactions.</p>