Protein Signatures May Help Predict Malaria Severity And Guide Treatment

Researchers astatine Karolinska Institutet person identified complete 250 proteins that are powerfully affected by malaria, which could thief foretell nan severity of nan illness and frankincense alteration faster curen for nan astir captious patients.

The study, published successful nan diary Immunity, was conducted connected 72 big travellers diagnosed pinch malaria astatine Karolinska University Hospital aft returning from tropical regions.

By analysing humor samples from these individuals, who were followed for a year, nan researchers were capable to place astir 700 proteins that changed during nan infection, of which complete 250 were powerfully affected. In this way, nan researchers were capable to representation proteins successful nan blood, which made it possible, among different things, to group patients according to nan severity of nan disease.

"Malaria tin quickly go life-threatening, but it is difficult to foretell astatine an early shape which patients are astatine consequence of deterioration. Our results show really a group of proteins tin thief place high-risk patients much quickly and alteration much effective treatment," says Anna Färnert, professor astatine nan Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and elder expert astatine Karolinska University Hospital, who led nan study together pinch Christopher Sundling astatine nan aforesaid institution.

Through data-driven analysis, nan researchers were capable to nexus nan proteins to circumstantial immune cells and place nan organs from which nan proteins originate.

In this study, we person been capable to measurement specified a ample number of proteins pinch precocious precision successful nan humor of malaria patients for nan first time. This provides wholly caller and elaborate insights into nan immune system's consequence to nan infection."

Maximilian Julius Lautenbach, first author, postdoctoral researcher, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet

The researchers stress that further studies are needed to validate these findings successful larger diligent groups and to research nan imaginable objective applications of nan macromolecule signatures.