Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42678991›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2026

Plasmodium falciparum subverts neutrophil function via host miR-451a loaded extracellular vesicles driving bacterial and fungal superinfection susceptibility.

Kehinde Adebayo Babatunde, Mtakai Ngara, Paola Martinez Murillo, Bibin Subramanian, Alex Hopke, Simone Lucchesi, Maria Novedrati, Giorgio Montesi, Francesco Santoro, Michael Hagemann-Jensen and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Kehinde Adebayo BabatundeThe Faculty of Science and Medicine, Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Mtakai NgaraDepartment of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Paola Martinez MurilloChristine Kühne- Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), Davos, Switzerland.
Bibin SubramanianThe Faculty of Science and Medicine, Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Alex HopkeDepartment of Surgery, BioMEMS Resource Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Simone LucchesiDepartment of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Maria NovedratiDepartment of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Giorgio MontesiDepartment of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Francesco SantoroDepartment of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Michael Hagemann-JensenDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Rickard SandbergDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Luis FilgueiraThe Faculty of Science and Medicine, Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Michael WalchThe Faculty of Science and Medicine, Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Daniel IrimiaDepartment of Surgery, BioMEMS Resource Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Pierre-Yves MantelThe Faculty of Science and Medicine, Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-9526-9309

Funding

Gottfried and Julia Bangerter-Rhyner-StiftungKurt and Senta Herrmann FoundationNovartis Foundation for Medical-Biological ResearchResearch Pool of the University of FribourgSwiss National Science Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) compromise innate immunity, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. The immune dysregulation caused by the parasite may lead to bacterial superinfections and increase mortality. We reveal that Pf exploits extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by infected red blood cells (iRBC-EVs) to deliver host-derived miR451a to human neutrophils, impairing their antimicrobial defenses. Neutrophil phagocytosis of iRBC-EVs suppresses reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and compromised microbicidal activity against Salmonella typhimurium. Microfluidic assays show that miR451a transfer significantly disrupts neutrophil chemotaxis and swarming upon microbial challenge. Transcriptomic profiling indicates that EVs and miR451a reprogram neutrophil gene expression, notably upregulating ferroptosis-related genes, suggesting a role in further impairing immune responses. We have uncovered a novel mechanism of iRBC-EVs-induced neutrophil immune suppression and provide insights into increased susceptibility to bacterial superinfections in malaria. These findings have implications for therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating bacterial superinfections and sepsis in malaria-endemic regions.

Indexed as

Extracellular VesiclesMalaria, FalciparumMicroRNAsNeutrophilsPlasmodium falciparumSuperinfectionErythrocytesHumansImmunity, InnatePhagocytosisSalmonella typhimuriumMicroRNAs

Identifiers

PMID42678991
PMCPMC13561428

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.