Opposed circulating plasma levels of endothelin-1 and C-type natriuretic peptide in children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria

doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-253

Malaria Journal

Volume 7

Viewing options:

Abstract
Full text
PDF (318KB)

Associated material:

Related literature:

Articles citing this article
on Google Scholar
on ISI Web of Science
on PubMed Central
Other articles by authors
on Google Scholar

Dietmann A
Lackner P
Helbok R
Spora K
Issifou S
Lell B
Reindl M
Kremsner PG
Schmutzhard E

on PubMed

Dietmann A
Lackner P
Helbok R
Spora K
Issifou S
Lell B
Reindl M
Kremsner PG
Schmutzhard E
Related articles/pages
on Google

on Google Scholar

on PubMed

Tools:

Post to:

Research

Opposed circulating plasma levels of endothelin-1 and C-type natriuretic peptide in children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria

Anelia Dietmann¹^,3 , Peter Lackner¹ , Raimund Helbok¹^,3 , Katharina Spora¹^,3 , Saadou Issifou³ , Bertrand Lell³ , Markus Reindl¹ , Peter G Kremsner²^,3 and Erich Schmutzhard¹

¹Clinical Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria

²Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Medical School Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

³Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Lambaréné, Gabon

author email corresponding author email

Malaria Journal 2008, 7:253doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-253


Published:	15 December 2008

Abstract

Background

Molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria (SM), are not yet fully understood. Both endothelin-1 (ET-1) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) are produced by vascular endothelium and act locally as paracrine regulators of vascular tone, ET-1 being a potent vasoconstrictor and CNP having strong vasorelaxant properties.

Methods

Plasma levels of ET-1 and N-terminal fragments of CNP (NT-proCNP) were studied on admission and after 24 hours of treatment, using enzyme-linked-immunosorbent-assay (ELISA) technique, in Gabonese children with severe falciparum malaria (SM, n = 50), with uncomplicated malaria (UM, n = 39) and healthy controls (HC, n = 25).

Results

Compared to HC, malaria patients had significantly higher plasma levels of ET-1 and significantly lower levels of NT-proCNP (p < 0.001 and p < 0.024 respectively). Plasma levels of NT-proCNP were additionally decreased in SM patients compared to HC (p = 0.034), whereas UM was not significantly different to HC. In the SM group we found a trend towards lower ET-1 levels compared to UM (p = 0.085).

Conclusion

In the present study, an imbalance between the vasoconstricitve and vasorelaxant endothelium-derived substances ET-1 and CNP in the plasma of children with falciparum malaria is demonstrated, presumably in favor of vasoconstrictive and pro-inflammatory effects. These results may indicate involvement of ET-1 and CNP in malaria pathogenesis. Furthermore, results of lower ET-1 and CNP levels in SM may reflect endothelial cell damage.