Severe pathology in pregnant mice during malaria

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In this study, we established a mouse model of pathological features of pregnant women living in malaria-endemic regions and investigated the pathogenesis of malaria during pregnancy using the mouse model. Pregnant mice immunized by infection of nonlethal Plasmodium berghei (Pb) XAT were more susceptible to lethal Pb NK65 challenged infection than non-pregnant mice and showed high levels of parasitemia and poor pregnancy outcome associated with placental pathology in late phase of pregnancy. Notably, the pregnant immunized mice infected with Pb NK65 developed liver injury in late phase of pregnancy. Higher levels of IFN-gamma and NO were observed in plasma from pregnant immunized mice infected with Pb NK65 compared with those in non-pregnant immunized mice infected with Pb NK65. These findings suggest that development of liver injury and placental pathology in pregnant immunized mice infected with Pb NK65 are associated with enhanced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.