Nature: The results of the first discovery of malaria infection are related to the spatial location of infected cells in the liver

Malaria is a devastating disease, a parasite parasite
.
After an infected mosquito bites, the parasite enters the liver and infects liver cells
.
This stage of infection is asymptomatic
.
Now, a study led by Maria M.
Mota, head of the Institute of Molecular Medicine, has found for the first time that the results of malaria infection correlate
with the spatial location of infected cells in the liver.
A map of the liver stage of malaria infection is crucial, as addressing the infection at this stage will prevent the disease from developing
.

Scientists working in Portugal and Israel track malaria parasite infections by looking at the localization of the parasite in the liver and were able to create a map
of liver infections by applying an innovative method.

"The liver is formed
by thousands of leaflets.
Leaflets are a group of liver cells organized in hexagonal
shapes.
We found that the outcome of infection varies, depending on the area of
the lobule infected by the malaria parasite.
Shalev Itzkovitz, head of the Weizmann Institute of Science, commented on the main findings of the work: "The parasites develop faster and survive better
in areas close to the center of these hexagonal leaflets.

Using mice as a model, the team analyzed the active genes
of liver cells and parasites at different times after infection.
Because the genes active in liver cells depend on their localization, the researchers were able to pair each parasite with their localization in the liver and reconstruct their pathway
by examining the timing of infection.
"We found that a group of parasites located at the edge of the leaflets were unable to form an infection", continues Shalev Itzkovitz
.

"We called these cells in the liver that are unable to form infection as 'aborted hepatocytes'," said
Maria Manuel Mota, head of the iMM and co-leader of the study.
"It's almost as if these cells are hostile to the parasite, which has to "abort the mission.
"
We found that these cells were able to promote different immune responses in response to the parasite.
"

The liver stage of malaria infection is difficult to study
due to heterogeneity in the liver.
"I've been studying the liver stage of malaria for 20 years, and this study is a turning point
.
We now have information
about how liver cells and malaria parasites behave in time and space during infection.
This information will pave the way
for our future research.
"We can take advantage of the weaknesses of the malaria parasite that we found in this study and try to develop ways to clear the infection in the liver stage, the asymptomatic stage
," Mota said.

The researchers created a detailed map of parasitic infections that cause malaria
in the liver.
Deciphering the dynamics of infection in this asymptomatic phase is important because it will inform research on how to stop infection in the liver and eliminate the disease before symptoms appear
.