Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29447211›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Malaria severity: Possible influence of the E670G PCSK9 polymorphism: A preliminary case-control study in Malian children.

Charles Arama, Issa Diarra, Bourèma Kouriba, Francine Sirois, Olesya Fedoryak, Mahamadou A Thera, Drissa Coulibaly, Kirsten E Lyke, Christopher V Plowe, Michel Chrétien and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. A Qualitative Method To Assess a History of Cerebral Malaria in Malian Children.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Pleiotropic Effects of PCSK-9 Inhibitors.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021
    Review
  7. Association of the rs562556 PCSK9 Gene Polymorphism with Reduced Mortality in Severe Malaria among Malian Children.The Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses et de la microbiologie medicale · 2020
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Inhibiting PCSK9 - biology beyond LDL control.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2018
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Charles AramaMalaria Research and Training Center, International Centers for Excellence in Research, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
Issa DiarraMalaria Research and Training Center, International Centers for Excellence in Research, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
Bourèma KouribaMalaria Research and Training Center, International Centers for Excellence in Research, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
Francine SiroisLaboratoire de protéolyse fonctionnelle, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Olesya FedoryakLaboratoire de protéolyse fonctionnelle, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Mahamadou A TheraMalaria Research and Training Center, International Centers for Excellence in Research, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
Drissa CoulibalyMalaria Research and Training Center, International Centers for Excellence in Research, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
Kirsten E LykeCenter for Vaccine Development and Division of Malaria Research, Institute for Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Christopher V PloweCenter for Vaccine Development and Division of Malaria Research, Institute for Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Michel ChrétienLaboratoire de protéolyse fonctionnelle, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Ogobara K DoumboMalaria Research and Training Center, International Centers for Excellence in Research, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
Majambu MbikayLaboratoire de protéolyse fonctionnelle, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-4854-6507
Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako · MLMontreal Clinical Research Institute · CAUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore · USUniversity of Ottawa · CA

Funding

Safety, Immunogenicity and Efficacy of VaccineU19AI065683 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI BLACKWELDER, WILLIAM C. · 2005 to 2009
$4.7M
MALARIA RESEARCH TRAINING IN MALID43TW001589 · FIC · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI PLOWE, CHRISTOPHER V. · 2000 to 2015
$2.8M
Malaria:Clinical Research and Trial Preparation Sites-26685346N01AI085346 · NIAID · Univ Maryland · 1998 to 2004
$2.8M
FIC NIH HHS D43 TW001589NIAID NIH HHS N01 AI085346NIAID NIH HHS U19 AI065683NIH HHS D43TW001589NIH HHS N01AI85346NIH HHS U19AI065683
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimProprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) is a hepatic secretory protein which promotes the degradation of low-density lipoprotein receptors leading to reduced hepatic uptake of plasma cholesterol. Non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in its gene have been linked to hypo- or hyper- cholesterolemia, depending on whether they decrease or increase PCSK9 activity, respectively. Since the proliferation and the infectivity of Plasmodium spp. partially depend on cholesterol from the host, we hypothesize that these PCSK9 genetic polymorphisms could influence the course of malaria infection in individuals who carry them. Here we examined the frequency distribution of one dominant (C679X) and two recessive (A443T, I474V) hypocholesterolemic polymorphisms as well as that of one recessive hypercholesterolemic polymorphism (E670G) among healthy and malaria-infected Malian children.

methodsDried blood spots were collected in Bandiagara, Mali, from 752 age, residence and ethnicity-matched children: 253 healthy controls, 246 uncomplicated malaria patients and 253 severe malaria patients. Their genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped for the above PCSK9 polymorphisms using Taqman assays. Associations of genotype distributions and allele frequencies with malaria were evaluated.

resultsThe minor allele frequency of the A443T, I474V, E670G, and C679X polymorphisms in the study population sample was 0.12, 0.20, 0.26, and 0.02, respectively. For each polymorphism, the genotype distribution among the three health conditions was statistically insignificant, but for the hypercholesterolemic E670G polymorphism, a trend towards association of the minor allele with malaria severity was observed (P = 0.035). The association proved to be stronger when allele frequencies between healthy controls and severe malaria cases were compared (Odd Ratio: 1.34; 95% Confidence Intervals: 1.04-1.83); P = 0.031).

conclusionsCarriers of the minor allele of the E670G PCSK9 polymorphism might be more susceptible to severe malaria. Further investigation of the cholesterol regulating function of PCSK9 in the pathophysiology of malaria is needed.

Indexed as

Genetic Predisposition to DiseasePolymorphism, Single NucleotideAdolescentCase-Control StudiesChildChild, PreschoolDried Blood Spot TestingFemaleGene FrequencyGenetic Association StudiesGenotyping TechniquesHumansInfantMalariaMaleMaliPCSK9 protein, humanProprotein Convertase 9

Identifiers

PMID29447211
PMCPMC5813955
OpenAlexW2789991755

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.