Glatiramer Acetate Reduces Risk of Cerebral Malaria in Mice
Author Information
Author(s): Peter Lackner, Andrea Part, Christoph Burger, Anelia Dietmann, Gregor Broessner, Raimund Helbok, Markus Reindl, Erich Schmutzhard, Ronny Beer
Primary Institution: Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
Hypothesis
Does glatiramer acetate reduce the risk of developing cerebral malaria in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA?
Conclusion
Glatiramer acetate treatment significantly lowers the risk of developing cerebral malaria in infected mice without affecting the course of parasitaemia.
Supporting Evidence
- GA treated animals had a lower risk of developing CM (57.7%) compared to control animals (84.6%).
- Lower levels of IFN-gamma were observed in GA treated animals on day 4 post-infection.
- GA did not affect the course of parasitaemia in infected mice.
Takeaway
This study found that a medicine called glatiramer acetate can help mice not get sick from a serious brain infection caused by malaria.
Methodology
C57BL/6J mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA and treated with glatiramer acetate or saline, followed by monitoring for cerebral malaria development and cytokine levels.
Limitations
The study was conducted in a mouse model, which may not fully replicate human responses to glatiramer acetate.
Participant Demographics
C57BL/6J mice, aged six to eight weeks.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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