Surreal illustration of eryptosis in red blood cells

Can Eryptosis Hold the Key to Fighting Malaria? A New Strategy Unveiled

Jordan Keane in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 3 min read.

"Unlocking the potential of manipulating red blood cell death to combat malaria's drug resistance crisis"

Malaria, a disease affecting millions worldwide, faces a growing threat: drug resistance. As the effectiveness of current antimalarial treatments diminishes, scientists are exploring new strategies to overcome this obstacle.

One such strategy involves understanding how malaria parasites interact with and manipulate host cells, particularly red blood cells (RBCs). Researchers are investigating a process called eryptosis, a form of programmed cell death in RBCs, and how it could be harnessed to combat malaria.

This article delves into the science of eryptosis, its connection to malaria, and how manipulating this process might offer a novel approach to treating this widespread and devastating disease. It also highlights research's importance and current findings

What is Eryptosis and How Does It Relate to Malaria?

Surreal illustration of eryptosis in red blood cells

Eryptosis is a programmed cell death pathway specific to red blood cells (erythrocytes). Mature RBCs, lacking a nucleus and other organelles, undergo eryptosis, which shares similarities with apoptosis (programmed cell death) in nucleated cells. This process involves several key changes in the cell:

Cell shrinkage
Membrane blebbing (formation of small bubbles on the cell surface)
Exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) on the outer cell surface, which acts as an "eat-me" signal for macrophages (immune cells that engulf and remove dying cells)

In the context of malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites, the host RBC faces significant stress. The parasite invades, grows, and replicates within the cell, altering its internal environment. Understanding how Plasmodium interacts with and potentially manipulates eryptosis is crucial. If scientists can influence eryptosis, they might develop new ways to fight malaria. Ideally, the manipulation forces infected RBCs to undergo eryptosis, therefore preventing the spread of the disease.

The Future of Eryptosis Research in Malaria Treatment

Eryptosis research offers a unique approach to combatting malaria, especially as drug resistance becomes an increasing concern. While challenges remain, such as fully understanding the molecular mechanisms and potential side effects, the possibility of host-directed therapies makes this a promising area of investigation. Further studies are needed to fully realize the potential of eryptosis manipulation in the fight against malaria, and are key to innovative treatments that can save lives and improve global health outcomes.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00419, Alternate LINK

Title: Manipulating Eryptosis Of Human Red Blood Cells: A Novel Antimalarial Strategy?

Subject: Infectious Diseases

Journal: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Authors: Coralie Boulet, Christian D. Doerig, Teresa G. Carvalho

Published: 2018-11-30

Everything You Need To Know

What is eryptosis, and how does it differ from apoptosis?

Eryptosis is a form of programmed cell death that specifically occurs in red blood cells (RBCs), also known as erythrocytes. While apoptosis is a similar process of programmed cell death, it occurs in nucleated cells. Eryptosis involves specific cellular changes such as cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and the exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) on the outer cell surface. These changes signal to macrophages, which are immune cells, to engulf and remove the dying RBCs. The key difference is the cell type and the specific molecular mechanisms involved, tailored for the unique characteristics of RBCs.

How does the malaria parasite interact with red blood cells, and why is eryptosis relevant?

The malaria parasite, Plasmodium, invades and replicates within red blood cells (RBCs). This process causes significant stress on the host cell, altering its internal environment. Eryptosis becomes relevant because the parasite's presence and growth can potentially influence or be influenced by this programmed cell death pathway. By understanding how Plasmodium interacts with eryptosis, scientists aim to find ways to manipulate this process. The goal is to force infected RBCs to undergo eryptosis, thereby eliminating the parasites and preventing the spread of the disease.

What are the key changes that occur in a red blood cell during eryptosis?

During eryptosis, several key changes take place within the red blood cell (RBC). These include cell shrinkage, where the cell decreases in volume. Membrane blebbing occurs, which is the formation of small bubbles or protrusions on the cell surface. A critical change is the exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) on the outer cell surface. This acts as an 'eat-me' signal for macrophages, which are immune cells responsible for engulfing and removing the dying RBCs. These changes collectively identify and eliminate damaged or infected red blood cells.

What is the potential of manipulating eryptosis in the treatment of malaria?

Manipulating eryptosis offers a novel approach to treat malaria, particularly in the face of increasing drug resistance. The potential lies in the possibility of forcing infected red blood cells (RBCs) to undergo eryptosis prematurely. If scientists can trigger eryptosis in infected cells, this could eliminate the parasites and prevent the spread of the disease. This host-directed therapy could circumvent drug resistance mechanisms by targeting the host cell's response rather than the parasite directly. However, fully understanding the molecular mechanisms and potential side effects remains a challenge.

What are the next steps for eryptosis research in malaria treatment?

The next steps for eryptosis research in malaria treatment involve several key areas. Scientists need to fully understand the molecular mechanisms that control eryptosis in red blood cells (RBCs) and how the Plasmodium parasite interacts with this pathway. Further studies are needed to investigate potential side effects and ensure the safety of any therapeutic interventions. More research should also focus on identifying specific targets within the eryptosis pathway that can be manipulated to trigger the death of infected RBCs. Clinical trials will eventually be required to validate the efficacy and safety of these new treatments, making it an ongoing and crucial field of study.