Receptor-mediated targeting of toxins to intraerythrocytic parasite Plasmodium falciparum

The increasing prevalence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria and the absence of effective vaccines or of vector control measures makes the development of new antimalarial drugs and other approaches for treating malaria, an urgent priority. The development of immunotoxins for targeted cytotoxic effects to kill the parasite is an attractive alternative therapeutic concept. The cytocidal effect of such hybrid molecules is highly specific and requires only minute doses. Cell surface receptor-directed targeting of toxins (hybrid toxins or immunotoxins) to human malaria parasite could eventually be developed as an effective therapy for malaria. Hybrid toxins may provide means of controlling this dreadful disease and counter morbidity as well as mortality. Our results suggests that hybrid toxins are potent and efficacious in killing the parasite and that these agents should be examined in an appropriate in vivo model of malaria. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.