Natural monocytic acquisition of haemozoin and rantes polymorphisms: association with malarial disease outcomes and functional changes in children from Wester...

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children residing in holoendemic transmission areas largely from severe malarial anaemia (SMA). Although overproduction of inflammatory-derived cytokines are implicated in the immunopathogenesis of severe malaria, the chemokine regulated on activation, normal T- cell expressed and secreted (RANTES, CCL5) is largely unexplored in the context of malaria. Additionally, pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1 and interferon (IFN)-promote increased RANTES production, while anti- inflammatory cytokines (eg, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13) down-regulate RANTES biosynthesis. However, the effect of these cytokines on RANTES production in children with malaria anaemia (MA) is poorly understood. Although genetic variation in RANTES is associated …