Malaria is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. Immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum malaria vary among individuals and between populations. Human genetic variation in immune system genes is lik...Malaria is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. Immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum malaria vary among individuals and between populations. Human genetic variation in immune system genes is likely to play a role in this heterogeneity. Natural killer (NK) cells produce inflammatory cytokines in response to malaria infection, kill intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum parasites by cytolysis, and participate in the initiation and development of adaptive immune responses to plasmodial infection. These functions are modulated by interactions between killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and human leukocyte antigens (HLAs). Therefore, variations in KIR and HLA genes can have a direct impact on NK cell functions. Understanding the role of KIRs and HLAs in immunity to malaria can help to better characterize antimalarial immune responses. In this review, we summarize the different KIRs and HLAs associated with immunity to malaria thus far.展开更多
基金This work was supported through the DELTAS Africa Initiative(Grant no.107743),which funded S.T.through a PhD fellowship award and A.N.through a group leader award.The DELTAS Africa Initiative is an independent funding scheme of the African Academy of Science(AAS)and the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa and is supported by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordinating Agency(NEPAD Agency)with funding from the Wellcome Trust(Grant no.107743)and the UK governmentF.C.is funded by Wellcome Trust grant 200841/Z/16/Z.The project received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(grant agreement No.695551)for J.Traherne and J.Trowsdale.
文摘Malaria is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. Immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum malaria vary among individuals and between populations. Human genetic variation in immune system genes is likely to play a role in this heterogeneity. Natural killer (NK) cells produce inflammatory cytokines in response to malaria infection, kill intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum parasites by cytolysis, and participate in the initiation and development of adaptive immune responses to plasmodial infection. These functions are modulated by interactions between killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and human leukocyte antigens (HLAs). Therefore, variations in KIR and HLA genes can have a direct impact on NK cell functions. Understanding the role of KIRs and HLAs in immunity to malaria can help to better characterize antimalarial immune responses. In this review, we summarize the different KIRs and HLAs associated with immunity to malaria thus far.
