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White adipose tissue (WAT), or white fat, plays a fundamental role in the development of cerebral malaria in mouse models and humans, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health scientists in collaboration with the University of Glasgow and an international team of researchers.
The study details the process by which red blood cells infected with malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites are sequestered in small blood vessels throughout WAT, where they stimulate the production of the hormone leptin via a well-studied nutrient-sensing pathway known as mTORC1.
The study was published in Science Advances on March 24, 2021. Among the scientists who contributed to the study was Harvard Chan School’s James Mitchell, who passed away in November 2020, before the study was published.
Accumulation of infected red blood cells in the adipose tissue is essential for development of cerebral malaria harvard.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from harvard.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.