CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES ›› 2019, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (4): 472-480.doi: 10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2019.04.018

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Recent progress in immune checkpoint molecules in Plasmodium infection and immunity

Jun WANG(), Yan SHEN, Yue LI, Ya ZHAO*()   

  1. Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
  • Received:2018-11-30 Online:2019-08-30 Published:2019-09-05
  • Contact: Ya ZHAO E-mail:wangjun1802@fmmu.edu.cn;zhaoya@fmmu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81572013, No. 81702019)

Abstract:

Malaria is still a life-threatening infectious disease transmitted by mosquito worldwide. It is necessary for host to maintain a delicate balance between pro-and anti-inflammatory immune responses to efficiently eliminate pathogens without inducing immunopathology. In recent years, breakthroughs in immune checkpoint molecules involved in anti-tumor and anti-autoimmune diseases have brought new enlightenment to the anti-malaria immunotherapy in chronic and severe infections. Studies have shown that blocking the immune checkpoint signaling in the chronic malaria infections could restore host immune response and accelerate the elimination of Plasmodium infection. In severe malaria caused by the acute infection of Plasmodium, moderately enhancing the signal of immune checkpoint molecules could reduce the immune response and alleviate the immunopathology caused by Plasmodium infection. This paper provides a brief review of the current progress in immune checkpoint molecules in Plasmodium infection and immunity.

Key words: Malaria, Cerebral malaria, Immune checkpoint molecules, Adjunctive immunotherapy

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