Malaria pigment paralyzes dendritic cells.
The capacity of malarial infection to suppress the patient's immune responses both to the parasite and to other antigens has long puzzled researchers. A prime suspect, the parasite-produced pigment hemozoin, has now been clearly shown to mediate immunosuppression by inhibiting dendritic cell activity.
Urban
Britta C
BC
Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Old Road, Oxford, OX3 7LJ, UK. britta.urban@ndm.ox.ac.uk
Todryk
Stephen
S
D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D006420:Hemeproteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D006420:Hemeproteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C020753:hemozoin