Fig. 4From: Plasmodium yoelii iron transporter PyDMT1 interacts with host ferritin and is required in full activity for malarial pathogenesisInducible knockout of host ferritin could normalize the growth of PyDMT1 hypomorph to that of the control parasite. a Parasitemia of BALB/c mice infected with PyDMT1-HA and Pydmt1-C2 parasites, after injection with 200 mg/kg iron dextran. Iron dextran was injected for 3 consecutive days in advance before PyDMT1-HA and C2 inoculation. Parasitemia were recorded at day 2 and day 3 (the day of inoculation as day 0) (N = 5, one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison test. ***P < 0.001). b LIP of RBC after 5 days iron dextran injection to the mice (N = 3, t-test, n.s. no significance). c The schedule of ferritin (Fth1) inducible knockout. d Body weights and survivals (N = 11, log-rank test, **P < 0.01) of FthR26△/△ (N = 14) and Fthfl/fl mice, after tamoxifen administration (start at day 0). e Expression of Fth1, Fpn1, Dmt1, and Tfr1 mRNA of blood cells in Fthfl/fl (N = 3) and FthR26△/△ (N = 3), 10 days after tamoxifen administration (t-test, ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01), suggesting an elevation of intracellular iron in blood cells. f Parasitemia of FthR26△/△ (N = 7) and Fthfl/fl (N = 5) mice after 2 days of infection with PyDMT1-HA and Pydmt1-C2 parasites (one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison test, ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01). g Parasitemia of FthR26△/△ (N = 7) and Fthfl/fl (N = 5) mice 3 days after infection with PyDMT1-HA or Pydmt1-C2 parasites (one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison test, ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01). h Merozoite numbers of PyDMT1-HA and Pydmt1-C2 parasites cultured in FthR26△/△ or Fth.fl/fl blood cells (N = 80 parasites from three independent experiments, one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison test. ****P < 0.0001)Back to article page