Fig. 4: Circulation and clearance of NF54/iGP1_RE9H^ulg8 stage V gametocytes in the NSG-PfGAM in vivo model.

Mice were infected with 2 × 10⁸ NF54/iGP1_RE9H^ulg8 stage V gametocytes (day 11) and treated one day after infection with 1 × 50 mg/kg PQ, 1 × 50 mg/kg CQ or four daily doses of 1 × 50 mg/kg CQ (days 1–4) or were left untreated. A Peripheral gametocytemia in treated and untreated NF54/iGP1_RE9H^ulg8-infected mice as determined by microscopic inspection of Hemacolor-stained thin blood smears prepared daily from tail blood for 16 days. Arrows indicate the day(s) of treatment. Values on the y-axis represent gametocytemia (mean ± s.d.) obtained from n = 2 mice per drug/dose combination and n = 4 untreated control mice. B Representative ventral images of treated and untreated NF54/iGP1_RE9H^ulg8-infected mice. Pseudocolour heat-maps indicate RE9H-catalysed bioluminescence intensity from low (blue) to high (red). Circulation of NF54/iGP1_RE9H^ulg8 stage V gametocytes was monitored daily for 16 days following infection (only a selection of images is shown). For technical reasons, the uninfected control mice on day 3 post-infection had to be imaged 30 min after D-luciferin injection (instead of 1 min after D-luciferin injection for all other mice), which resulted in reduced signals (white asterisk). C Quantification of in vivo bioluminescence emitted from treated and untreated NF54/iGP1_RE9H^ulg8-infected mice. Arrows indicate the day(s) of treatment. Values on the y-axis represent total photon flux (mean ± s.d.) obtained from n = 2 mice per drug/dose combination and n = 4 untreated control mice. dpi, days post infection; LoQ, limit of quantification (area below the LoQ is shaded gray); p/s, photons/second.