Methodology to streamline flow cytometric-based detection of early stage Plasmodium parasitemia in mice

Abstract

Murine infection models are needed to develop therapeutics and vaccines to combat the Plasmodium parasites causing malaria. Herein, we describe an easy to perform flow cytometry-based methodology for detecting green fluorescent protein-expressing Plasmodium berghei in the peripheral red blood cells (RBC) of mice. This methodology uses one-step staining and simplified gating strategies to streamline the process of Plasmodium quantification and can detect parasitemia at an earlier time point after infection compared to traditional light microscopy-based techniques.

Keywords: Flow cytometry; Green fluorescent protein; Hoechst 33342; Malaria; Parasitemia; Plasmodium berghei.