dual scRNA-seq analysis of P. vivax infected hepatocytes

Malaria-causing Plasmodium vivax parasites can linger in the human liver for weeks to years, and then reactivate to cause recurrent blood-stage infection. While an important target for malaria eradication, little is known about the molecular features of the replicative and non-replicative states of intracellular P. vivax parasites, or their human host-cell dependencies and the host responses to them. Here, we leverage a bioengineered human microliver platform to culture patient-derived P. vivax parasites in primary human hepatocytes and conduct transcriptional profiling. By coupling enrichment strategies with bulk and single-cell analyses, we captured both parasite and host transcripts in individual hepatocytes throughout the infection course. We define host- and state-dependent transcriptional signatures and identify previously unappreciated populations of replicative and non-replicative parasites, sharing features with sexual transmissive forms. We find that infection suppresses transcription of key hepatocyte function genes, and that P. vivax elicits an innate immune response that can be manipulated to control infection. Our work provides an extendible framework and resource for understanding host-parasite interactions and reveals new insights into the biology of P. vivax dormancy and transmission.