ADELFA E. SERRANO, Ph.D.

Molecular Biology and Immunology of Parasites: Molecular basis for multidrug resistance (MDR) in Plasmodia. Malaria is a disease producec. by Plasmoditim parasites and is one of the major tropical diseases affecting millions of people and causing significant morbidity and mortality yearly. The major problem in malaria control is the development of parasite resistance to most of the antimalarial drugs available, which has led to a greater incidence of the disease. However, despite the magnitude of the problem, the mechanisms of parasite drug resistance are not well understood. The goal of our research is the definition at the molecular level of a mechanism or mechanisms involved in drug resistance. In previous work, we had identified Plasmodium falciparum genes which show homology to multidrug resistance (mdr) genes from other organisms and appear to be involved in parasite drug resistance. Experimental evidence suggests that the gene product of one of these genes may be involved in drug efflux from the parasite, therefore mediating drug resistance. The putative role of this polypeptide is now under investigation, as well as, the host immunological responses to this gene product on infected patients who have shown sensitivity or resistance to antimalarial drug treatment. To further evaluate the molecular mechanisms underlying parasite multi-drug resistance, the rodent malaria species, P. berghei and P. yoelii, as well as parasite lines with various patterns of drug sensitivity, are being used as in vivo models of the disease. A better understanding of the mechanisms of drug resistance, together with a better knowledge of the host immune responses in malaria resistance, could help in designing effective drug therapy and could contribute to the developing of a tests to detect resistance early during infection.

We are also interested in the evaluation of newly designed anti-plasmodia drugs as well as in the molecular diagnosis of malaria.

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Selected Publications:

• Ferrer-Rodríguez, I., J. Pérez-Rosado, G. W. Gervais, W. Peters, B.Robinson and A.E.Serrano. 2004. Plasmodium yoelii: identification and partial characterization of an mdr1 gene in an artemisinin resistant line. Journal of Parasitol. 90 (1):

• Szeto, A.C., J. Pérez-Rosado, I. Ferrer-Rodríguez, J. Vega, C. Torruella-Thillet and A.E.Serrano. 2003. Identification and expression analysis of ABC genes in Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei. Parasitol. Research. Oct.17

• Pérez-Rosado, J., G. W. Gervais, Ferrer-Rodríguez, I., W. Peters, and A. E. Serrano. 2002. Plasmodium berghei: Analysis of the gamma-glutamylcystheine synthetase gene in drug resistant lines. Exp.Parasitol. 101: 175-182.

• Ferrer-Rodríguez, I., J. Pérez Rosado, and A.E. Serrano. 2000. "El Diagnóstico de la Malaria". Revista Oficial Colegio Tecnólogos Médicos. 16(2):6-10.

• Carrasquillo, G., M. Banguero, P. Sánchez, F. Carvajal. R. H. Barker Jr., G. Gervais, E. Algarín and A.E. Serrano. 2000. Epidemiological tools for malaria surveillance in an urban setting of low endemicity along the Colombian Pacific coast. American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 62(1): 132-137.

• Ferrer-Rodríguez, I., G. Vázquez, J. Córdova, and A.E. Serrano. 1999. Diagnosis of malaria by Polymerase Chain Reaction. Puerto Rico Health Sci. Journal. 18(2):99-103.

• A.E. Serrano, B.L. Robinson, W.A. Peters, and K. Trujillo-Nevárez. 1999. Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium yoelii: molecular karyotypes of drug resistant lines. Experimental Parasitol. 91:93-96

• Gervais, G., K. Trujillo-Nevárez, B.L. Robinson, W. A. Peters and A.E. Serrano. 1999. Plasmodium berghei: Identification of an mdr-like gene associated with drug resistance. Exp. Parasitol. 91:86-92.

• Ramajo Martin, V., López Aban, J., A.E. Serrano, A. Oleaga Pérez and A. Muro Alvarez. 1996. A long term study on the prevalence of gastrointestinal, hepatic and pulmonary parasitism in sheep from Salamanca province, Western Spain. Research & Review in Parasitology. 56:173-177.

• Ramajo Martin, V., López Aban, J., A.E. Serrano, A. Oleaga Pérez and A. Muro Alvarez. 1995. A long term study on the prevalence of gastrointestinal, hepatic and pulmonary parasitism in adult cattle from Salamanca province, Western Spain. Research & Review in Parasitology. 55:231-234.

• Wirth, D.F., C. Wilson, A.E. Serrano, A. Wasley, M.P. Bogenschutz, and A.H. Shankar. 1990. Amplification of a gene related to mammalian MDR genes in drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. In Parasites: Molecular biology, drug and vaccine design. Wiley-Liss, Inc. 335-347.

• Wilson, C.M., A.E. Serrano, A. Wasley, M.P. Bogenschutz, A. H. Shankar and D.F. Wirth. 1988. Amplification of a gene related to mammalian mdr genes in drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. Science 244:1185-1186.

• Hillyer, G.V. and A.E. Serrano. 1986. Fractionation of Fasciola hepatica tegument antigens and their application to the serodiagnosis of experimental fascioliasis by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. J. Helminth 60: 173-178.

• Hillyer, G.V. and A.E. Serrano. 1983. The antigens of Paragonimus westermani, Schistosoma mansoni, and Fasciola hepatica adult worms. Evidence for the presence of cross-protection to Schistosoma mansoni infection using antigens of Paragonimus westermani. Am.J. Trop. Hyg. 32: 350-358.

• Hillyer, G.V. and A.E. Serrano. 1982. Cross-protection in infections due to Schistosoma mansoni using tegument antigens of Fasciola hepatica. J. Infec. Dis. 145: 728-732.

Book Chapters

• Anti-protozoan drugs. A. Muro, A.E. Serrano,and J.L. Pérez de Arellano.