title: Pentraxins as a key component of innate immunity.
abstract: Pentraxins are a complex superfamily of multifunctional molecules characterized by a multimeric structure. C-reactive protein and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) are prototypic molecules of the short and long pentraxin family, respectively. PTX3 is conserved in evolution and produced by innate immune cells. Evidence suggests that PTX3 acts as a non-redundant component of the humoral arm of innate immunity, downstream of, and complementary to, cellular recognition, as well as a tuner of inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bottazzi
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garlanda
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salvatori
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jeannin
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantovani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins