| 2008 |
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| Expression of toll-like receptors on antigen-presenting cells in patients with falciparum
malaria. |
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| Loharungsikul, S., Troye-Blomberg, M., Amoudruz, P., Pichyangkul, S., Yongvanitchit, K.,
Looareesuwan, S., Mahakunkijcharoen, Y., Sarntivijai, S., and Khusmith, S. |
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| Department of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, 2
Prannok Road, Bangkok-Noi, Bangkok 10700, Thailand |
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| Abstract: The continuous release of blood-stage malaria parasites and their products can activate
components of the innate immune system and induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have emerged as pattern-
recognition receptors, residing on/in innate immune cells whose function is recognizing specific conserved components on different microbes. The aim
of this study was to determine the expression of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in patients with mild and severe forms of
falciparum malaria. Healthy individuals were used as controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stained with specific monoclonal
antibodies (mAbs) to investigate the percentage and the level of TLR expression by flow cytometry. Patients with severe and mild malaria showed
increased surface expression of TLR2 and TLR4 on CD14(+)monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells (MDCs) and decreased intracellular expression of
TLR9 on plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs), compared to those of healthy controls. A significant decrease in the percentage of circulating CD14(+)
monocytes and MDCs expressing TLR2 was found in both severe and mild malaria patients. These findings suggested that TLRs might play role in innate
immune recognition in which the differential expression of TLRs on APCs could be regulated by the P. falciparum parasite |
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| Published in:Acta Trop. 105[1], 10-15. 2008. |
