Growth of Plasmodium falciparum induces stage-dependent haemichrome formation, oxidative aggregation of band 3, membrane deposition of complement and antibodies, and phagocytosis of parasitized erythrocytes.

Plasmodium falciparum-parasitized erythrocytes (RBCs) are progressively transformed into non-self cells, phagocytosed by human monocytes. Haemichromes, aggregated band 3 (Bd3) and membrane-bound complement fragment C3c and IgG were assayed in serum-opsonized stage-separated parasitized RBCs. All parameters progressed from control to rings to trophozoites to schizonts: haemichromes, nil; 0.64 +/- 0.12; 5.6 +/- 1.91; 8.4 +/- 2.8 (nmol/ml membrane); Bd3, 1 +/- 0.1; 4.3 +/- 1.5; 23 +/- 5; 25 +/- 6 (percentage aggregated); C3c, 31 +/- 11; 223 +/- 86; 446 +/- 157; 620 +/- 120 (mOD405/min/ml membrane); IgG, 35 +/- 12; 65 +/- 23; 436 +/- 127; 590 +/- 196 (mOD405/min/ml membrane). All increments in rings versus controls and in trophozoites versus rings were highly significant. Parasite development in the presence of 100 micromol/l beta-mercaptoethanol largely reverted haemichrome formation, Bd3 aggregation, C3c and IgG deposition and phagocytosis. Membrane proteins extracted by detergent C12E8 were separated on Sepharose CL-6B. Haemichromes, C3c and IgG were present exclusively in the high-molecular-weight fractions together with approximately 30% of Bd3, indicating the oxidative formation of immunogenic Bd3 aggregates. Immunoblots of separated membrane proteins with anti-Bd3 antibodies confirmed Bd3 aggregates that, in part, did not enter the gel. Immunoprecipitated antibodies eluted from trophozoites reacted preferentially with aggregated Bd3. Changes in parasitized RBC membranes and induction of phagocytosis were similar to oxidatively damaged, senescent or thalassaemic RBC, indicating that parasite-induced oxidative modifications of Bd3 were per se sufficient to induce and enhance phagocytosis of malaria-parasitized RBC.