Chemokine receptors and molecular mimicry.
Chemokines are small pro-inflammatory peptides that are best known for their leukocyte-chemoattractant activity. The cloned leukocyte chemokine receptors, interleukin 8 receptor (IL-8R) types A and B and the macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha)/RANTES receptor, are related by sequence and chemokine binding to two herpesvirus products, and to the Duffy antigen that mediates erythrocyte invasion by the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium vivax. Here, Sunil Ahuja, Ji-Liang Gao and Philip Murphy suggest that, in addition to the activation of leukocytes, chemokines may be important in the function of erythrocytes and, through molecular mimicry, in microbial pathogenesis.
Ahuja
S K
SK
Laboratory of Host Defenses, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Gao
J L
JL
Murphy
P M
PM
D000818:Animals; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000276:immunology*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D006567:Herpesvirus 2, Saimiriine / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics
D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic