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To identify blood cell receptors involved in the red blood cell invasion by Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly strain of malaria parasite.

The study authors used a systematic screening approach using a library of proteins produced by human red blood cells. Selected proteins were expressed in mammalian cells and screened for interaction with aPfRh5, a parasite protein believed to play a role in red blood cell invasion.

A protein called basigin (BSG), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, was identified. BSG has been shown previously to be implicated in many biological functions such as embryo implantation, spermatogenesis and retinal development. Tests confirmed that the PfRh5–BSG interaction was required for the parasite invasion.

Interaction between BSG and PfRh5 is essential for parasite entry by every P. falciparum strain tested. The discovery of this universal receptor-ligand pair provides new potential for therapeutic intervention and vaccine production.

The results of this study could become a turning point for the prevention and treatment of malaria. As the Plasmodium falciparum parasite can access blood cells via multiple invasion pathways, it was previously thought that an efficient vaccine would be impossible to produce. The receptor identified in this study seems to be an essential protein for the infection process, and therefore a potentially ideal therapeutic target. This study shows yet again how discoveries of molecular mechanisms underlying disease processes can directly benefit such an important public health issue as malaria.