Uncovering the role of IFNAR1 in Experimental Cerebral malaria

Dissertation presented the Ph.D degree in Biology

Cerebral malaria is a severe and fatal form of clinical Plasmodium falciparum infection, resulting in brain injury from a damaging cascade of vascular, inflammatory and immunological host responses. However progression to cerebral malaria can be modified by host genetic factors. This thesis work extensively reveals the role of Interferon type I receptor (IFNAR1) in the development of Experimental cerebral malaria, through the use of the mouse model Ifnar1-/-. We found Ifnar1-/- mice protected from Experimental cerebral malaria upon infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA-GFP, compared with susceptible wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Ifnar1-/- mice showed diminished blood brain barrier breakage, despite parasite accumulation in the periphery and accumulation of immune cells within the brain tissue during infection.(...)