title: The malarial metabolite hemozoin and its potential use as a vaccine adjuvant.
abstract: Hemozoin, a bio-crystalline substance, is a hemin detoxification by-product of malaria parasites. The role of hemozoin crystals in host immune system modulation by malaria parasites, and how they interact with the immune system has been enigmatic. Here, we summarize recent progress in our understanding of how hemozoin might be interacting with the host immune system. In particular, the potential application of hemozoin crystals as an adjuvant may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in immune responses to malarial infection and provide a rationale for the design of vaccines against malaria as well as other immunological disorders such as allergies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Host Defense, Immunology Frontier Research Center, World Premier Institute for Immunology, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. ccoban@biken.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Cevayir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coban
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohata
authors.forename: Yoshikatsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Igari
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukui
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horii
authors.forename: Ken J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Shizuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akira
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006420:Hemeproteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000276:immunology*; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000962:Antimalarials; D006420:Hemeproteins; D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition; C020753:hemozoin