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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Florence Burte
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Cerebral malaria (CM) and severe malarial anemia (SMA) are the most serious life-threatening clinical syndromes of Plasmodium falciparum infection in childhood. Therefore, it is important to understand the pathology underlying the development of CM and SMA as opposed to uncomplicated malaria (UM). Increased levels of hepcidin have been associated with UM, but its level and role in severe malarial disease remains to be investigated. Plasma and clinical data were obtained as part of a prospective case-control study of severe childhood malaria at the main tertiary hospital of the city of Ibadan, Nigeria. Here, we report that hepcidin levels are lower in children with SMA or CM than in those with milder outcome (UM). While different profiles of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were observed between the malaria syndromes, circulatory hepcidin levels remained associated with the levels of its regulatory cytokine interleukin-6 and of the anti-inflammatory cytokine inerleukin-10, irrespective of iron status, anemic status, and general acute-phase response. We propose a role for hepcidin in anti-inflammatory processes in childhood malaria.
Author(s): Burté F, Brown BJ, Orimadegun AE, Ajetunmobi WA, Afolabi NK, Akinkunmi F, Kowobari O, Omokhodion S, Osinusi K, Akinbami FO, Shokunbi WA, Sodeinde O, Fernandez-Reyes D
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Blood
Year: 2013
Volume: 121
Issue: 15
Pages: 3016-3022
Print publication date: 04/02/2013
Date deposited: 04/02/2014
ISSN (print): 0006-4971
ISSN (electronic): 1528-0020
Publisher: American Society of Hematology
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2012-10-461418
DOI: 10.1182/blood-2012-10-461418
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