Table 2 Priorities for future research in understanding phagocytosis during Plasmodium infection
From: Factors influencing phagocytosis of malaria parasites: the story so far
Phagocytes and clinical protection |
Does high phagocytosis potential of specific immune cells or their subpopulations correlate with protection and disease progression? |
What parameters can be used to define ‘effective phagocytosis’ level (level that is sufficient to confer protection against clinical disease)? |
Can host genetic variations lead to different expression levels of phagocytic receptors, and will these impact phagocytic potentials of phagocytes, hence leading to different disease susceptibility? |
How are the expression of opsonic and non-opsonic phagocytosis receptors regulated during malaria infection and do these expressions correlate with protection/pathology? |
Molecular mechanisms of phagocytosis |
Are there specific phagocyte population or subpopulations that are responsible for clearing different stages of the parasites in their asexual life cycle? |
Which parasite ligands specifically interact with the phagocytes, leading to immunomodulation of phagocytosis? |
What are the other phagocytic receptors involved in non-opsonic phagocytosis of Plasmodium and what are the downstream consequences of this interaction? |
What are the roles of host defence peptides in phagocytosis during malaria infection? |
Immune activation following phagocytosis |
Are there adverse consequences that may result from increased phagocytosis, such as activation of inflammation that results in endothelial-lining damage and host pathology? |
Modulation of phagocytosis |
How do chronic or co-infections, such as HIV, hepatitis or helminth infections, affect the phagocytic function of phagocytes in infected hosts? |
Can specific compounds or therapeutics with the potential to increase the rate phagocytosis improve treatment outcomes and/or reduce clinical manifestations of malaria? |
Will immunoregulatory therapeutics aimed at dampening immune responses during severe malaria decrease phagocytic capability and thus, reduce the efficiency of parasite clearance? |
What are the specific immune evasion strategies employed by Plasmodium parasites to avoid phagocytosis by phagocytes? |