Nanoparticle tracking analysis of natural hemozoin from Plasmodium parasites

Roukayatou Omorou; Blanche Delabie; Adeline Lavoignat; Victorien Chaker; Guillaume Bonnot; Karim Traore; Anne-Lise Bienvenu; Stephane Picot

doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107105

Nanoparticle tracking analysis of natural hemozoin from Plasmodium parasites

Acta Trop. 2024 Feb:250:107105. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107105. Epub 2023 Dec 20.

Authors

Roukayatou Omorou¹, Blanche Delabie², Adeline Lavoignat², Victorien Chaker², Guillaume Bonnot², Karim Traore³, Anne-Lise Bienvenu⁴, Stephane Picot⁵

Affiliations

¹ Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE, University Lyon1, University Lyon, Villeurbanne 69100, France. Electronic address: roukayatou.omorou@gmail.com.
² Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE, University Lyon1, University Lyon, Villeurbanne 69100, France.
³ Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali.
⁴ Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE, University Lyon1, University Lyon, Villeurbanne 69100, France; Service Pharmacie, Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon 69004, France.
⁵ Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE, University Lyon1, University Lyon, Villeurbanne 69100, France; Institute of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon 69004, France.

PMID: 38135133
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107105

Abstract

Background: Hemozoin is a byproduct of hemoglobin digestion crucial for parasite survival. It forms crystals that can be of interest as drug targets or biomarkers of malaria infection. However, hemozoin has long been considered as an amorphous crystal of simple morphology. Studying the consequences of biomineralization of this crystal during the parasite growth may provide more comprehensive evidence of its role during malaria.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the interest of nanoparticles tracker analysis for measuring the concentration and size of hemozoin particles produced from different parasite sources and conditions.

Methods: Hemozoin was extracted from several clones of Plasmodium falciparum both asexual and sexual parasites. Hemozoin was also extracted from blood samples of malaria patients and from saliva of asymptomatic malaria carriers. Nanoparticles tracking analysis (NTA) was performed to assess the size and concentration of hemozoin.

Results: NTA data showed variation in hemozoin concentration, size, and crystal clusters between parasite clones, species, and stages. Among parasite clones, hemozoin concentration ranged from 131 to 2663 particles/infected red blood cell (iRBC) and size ranged from 149.6 ± 6.3 nm to 234.8 ± 40.1 nm. The mean size was lower for Plasmodium vivax (176 ± 79.2 nm) than for Plasmodium falciparum (254.8 ± 74.0 nm). Sexual NF54 parasites showed a 7.5-fold higher concentration of hemozoin particles (28.7 particles/iRBC) compared to asexual parasites (3.8 particles/iRBC). In addition, the mean hemozoin size also increased by approximately 60 % for sexual parasites. Compared to in vitro cultures of parasites, blood samples showed low hemozoin concentrations.

Conclusions: This study highlights the potential of NTA as a useful method for analyzing hemozoin, demonstrating its ability to provide detailed information on hemozoin characterization. However, further research is needed to adapt the NTA for hemozoin analysis.

Keywords: Hemozoin; Malaria; Nanoparticle tracking analysis; Plasmodium.

MeSH terms

Animals
Hemeproteins*
Humans
Malaria* / parasitology
Parasites*
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium*

Substances

hemozoin
Hemeproteins