Knob antigen deposition in cerebral malaria.

Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes attach to the endothelial cells via electron-dense knobs and this attachment has been suggested as one of the contributing factors in the development of cerebral malaria. Monoclonal antibodies against an 80-95 Kd knob protein were prepared and applied to brain tissue from cerebral malaria patients. The deposition of the 80-95 Kd knob protein antibodies was observed in the basement membrane of cerebral capillaries by the peroxidase anti-peroxidase method. This result indicates involvement of knob protein deposition in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria.