Characterisation of the chondroitin sulphate of Saimiri brain microvascular endothelial cells involved in Plasmodium falciparum cytoadhesion.

Cytoadhesion of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IRBC) to chondroitin-4-sulphate (CSA) is inhibited by soluble CSA in vitro on Saimiri brain microvascular endothelial cells (SBEC) and in vivo in P. falciparum-infected Saimiri monkeys. We tested whether the SBEC model was appropriate for studying CSA-binding IRBC using four cell lines. All SBEC expressed a chondroitin sulphate (CS), with a composition of CSA. The mean sizes of these CSA were 20.5, 22, 23, 32.5 and 36 kDa for SBEC 3A and C2, CHO, SBEC 1D and 17, respectively. We found that cytoadhesion of the Palo-Alto (FUP)1 CSA-binding phenotype, selected by panning on SBEC 17, was specifically inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by all the purified CSA. The extent of inhibition depended on the cellular origin of the tested CSA. SBEC 17 CSA was 33 times more efficient than CHO-CSA and 21 times more efficient than the 50 kDa commercial bovine trachaea CSA. Dynabeads coated with a total extract of SBEC 1D CS-proteoglycans interacted with CSA- but not with CD36- or ICAM-1-binding IRBC. These Dynabeads also interacted specifically with the PfEMP1 DBL-3 domain, on the surface of CHO transfectants, but not with the CIDR-1 domain. Thrombomodulin was involved in IRBC adhesion to all SBEC whereas CD44 was only expressed by SBEC 1D and 17. These two CSA-proteoglycans have also been detected at the surface of human endothelial cells. Thus, the two homologous models, SBEC/Saimiri sciureus, are useful and reliable tools for the evaluation of new anti-CSA adhesion treatments and anti-disease vaccines for pregnant women.