title: Soluble CD163, a product of monocyte/macrophage activation, is inversely associated with haemoglobin levels in placental malaria.
abstract: In Plasmodium falciparum malaria, activation of monocytes and macrophages (monocytes/macrophages) can result in the production of various inflammatory mediators that contribute to immunopathology. Soluble CD163 (sCD163) is a specific marker of monocyte/macrophage activation typically found at increased levels during various inflammatory conditions and can be associated with poor clinical outcomes. To better understand the relationships between levels of sCD163 and clinical parameters in women with placental malaria, we measured plasma sCD163 levels in maternal peripheral and placental blood compartments at delivery and determined their correlations with birth weight and maternal haemoglobin concentrations. sCD163 levels were negatively correlated with birth weight only in the placental compartment (r = -0.145, p = 0.03) and were inversely correlated with maternal haemoglobin concentrations, both in peripheral blood (r = -0.238, p = 0.0004) and in placental blood (r = -0.259, p = 0.0001). These inverse relationships suggest a potential role for monocyte/macrophage activation in the pathogenesis of malaria in pregnancy, particularly in relation to malaria-associated anaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine-Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. carolynn85@yahoo.com.sg
authors.forename: Caroline Lin Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Graham V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Malcolm E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Molyneux
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rogerson
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boeuf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult; D000098902:CD163 Antigen
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D015415:Biomarkers; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface