Study Probes Burkitt Lymphoma-Malaria Link.
Burkitt lymphoma is unusually common in parts of Africa where malaria is widespread, but the reason for the association has been unclear. A new study suggests that parasitic infection triggers dramatic B-cell proliferation and increased expression of the enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase, which generates more potent antibodies-and causes mutations that lead to cancer.
D000818:Animals; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D016788:Plasmodium chabaudi; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum