Improved Murine Model of Malaria Using<i>Plasmodium falciparum</i>Competent Strains and Non-Myelodepleted NOD-<i>scid IL2R</i>γ^<i>null</i>Mice Engrafted with Human Erythrocytes

Abstract

Murine models of Plasmodium falciparum malaria may become crucial tools in drug discovery. Here we show that non-myelodepleted NOD-scid IL2Rgamma(null) mice engrafted with human erythrocytes support an infectious burden up to tenfold higher than that supported by engrafted NOD-scid beta2microglobulin(null) mice. The new model was validated for drug discovery and was used to assess the therapeutic efficacy of 4-pyridones, selective inhibitors of P. falciparum cytochrome bc1.