Red blood cells that do and red blood cells that don't: how to resist a persistent parasite.
Sixty years ago, Haldane proposed that certain abnormalities in red blood cells could be selected as malaria-resistance genes. Population studies have confirmed that many human polymorphisms confer resistance to severe malaria, although the mechanisms of protection remain unknown. A recent article proposes a new mechanism for explaining the protective effects of hemoglobin C (HbC). HbC-containing red blood cells have modified displays of malaria surface proteins that reduce parasite adhesiveness and could reduce the risk of severe disease.
Duffy
Patrick E
PE
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. patrick.duff@sbri.org
Fried
Michal
M
D000818:Animals; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D006444:Hemoglobin C / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*
D006444:Hemoglobin C