Plasmodium coatneyi-infected erythrocytes bind to C32 amelanotic melanoma cells under static and flow conditions.

The ability of Plasmodium coatneyi-infected red blood cells (IRBCs) to bind to C32 amelanotic melanoma cells was examined under static and physiologic flow conditions in vitro. Six blood samples obtained from P. coatneyi-infected Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) with severe manifestations of disease were used in the static adhesion assay. All blood samples constantly exhibited binding of IRBCs to C32 cells under static conditions. Immunofluorescence staining with anti-CD36 mAb revealed a positive reaction at the surface of C32 cells with the infected erythrocytes, while the reaction with C32 cells without IRBCs was negative. To further examine the specificity of the interaction between P. coatneyi-infected erythrocytes and C32 cells, we carried out the binding assay under physiological flow conditions. In flow adhesion assay, three blood samples were used. Adhesion and rolling of IRBCs on C32 cells were detected at several rates of shear stress under flow conditions. At a shear stress of 1.0 dyne/cm(2), the number of IRBCs adherent to C32 cell averaged 5 to 6, and the number of IRBCs rolling on C32 cells averaged 6 to 11. The anti-CD36 mAb OKM5 inhibited 75-100% of IRBC adhesion and rolling, while the inhibitory effect of anti-ICAM-1 mAb 84H10 varied between 20-40%. The combination of anti-CD36 and anti-ICAM-1 mAb resulted in 83-100% inhibition of rolling and 100% inhibition of adhesion. These findings suggest that CD36 is one of the principal adhesion receptors of P. coatneyi-infected erythrocytes.