Researchers might have discovered a promising new target in the battle against malaria: a cholesterol-regulating protein known as PfNCR1.
Malaria is an illness caused by a parasite transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, making it one of the major causes of sickness and fatalities globally.
The groups most at risk include pregnant women, refugees, and children in developing nations, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Treating malaria is challenging because Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal malaria parasite, has developed resistance to nearly all available medications for the disease.
However, a study released today in Science Advances highlights that researchers from Case Western Reserve University may have identified a new target: the cholesterol-regulating protein PfNCR1.
This discovery is significant because the parasite requires a specific level of cholesterol to thrive and develop within its host, explained Edward Yu, a pharmacology professor at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and the lead researcher of the study. PfNCR1 functions as a transporter, moving cholesterol to maintain the stability of the parasite’s membrane.
Yu’s research team found that a compound known as MMV009108 can effectively obstruct this transporter, preventing it from functioning. This impairment could hinder the parasite’s ability to manage its cholesterol, potentially leading to its demise.
“This discovery represents a significant advancement in creating new treatments for malaria,” Yu stated. “Targeting PfNCR1 may allow scientists to develop medications that the parasite struggles to become resistant to, pushing forward our efforts against one of the most lethal and enduring diseases on the planet.”
To delve deeper into the structure of PfNCR1 and identify proteins that directly associate with it, Yu and his colleagues are currently investigating how PfNCR1 interacts with various inhibitors. This knowledge could pave the way for novel drug design strategies aimed at combating malaria more effectively.
