Scientists
have discovered a new molecules that can kill the malaria
parasite, paving way for effective treatment for
the disease.
Using ultra sophisticated computerised modelling tools,
researchers were successful in identifying a type of candidate molecules toxic
for the pathogen, but not for the infected human red blood cells.
The
most severe form of malaria is caused by infection with Plasmodium falciparum. The eradication of this parasite is even
more difficult as it becomes resistant to treatments. The group led by Didier
Picard from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, showed interest in
the protein Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90),
which plays a central role for several factors involved in the life cycle,
survival and resistance of the pathogen. Expressed in organisms as diverse as
bacteria and mammal cells, HSP90 acts as a "chaperone",
by helping other proteins during both normal and stressful periods. In the
Plasmodium, HSP90 protects parasitic proteins during high fevers triggered by
its presence. The chaperone also participates in the maturation of the pathogen
in human red blood cells.