Biomaterial Database

Lipoxins as an immune-escape mechanism. 2009

Fabiana S Machado, and Julio Aliberti

Division of Molecular Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA.

Here, we discuss the mechanisms of repression of signaling pathways that are triggered by Lipoxin (LX) and are responsible for control of pro-inflammatory response during chronic phase of Toxoplasma gondii infection. We also discuss this mechanism from the perspective of the pathogen, which pirates the host's lipoxygenase machinery to its own advantage as a probable immune-escape mechanism. Pro-inflammatory mediators such as IL-12, IFN-gamma and TNF are essential in controlling parasite growth during T. gondii infection. However, it is clear that exacerbated production of these cytokines results in host tissue damage. LX, an anti-inflammatory eicosanoid, plays an important role in regulation of immune response to T. gondii.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014122	Toxoplasma	A genus of protozoa parasitic to birds and mammals. T. gondii is one of the most common infectious pathogenic animal parasites of man.	Toxoplasma gondii,Toxoplasma gondius,Toxoplasmas,gondius, Toxoplasma
D014123	Toxoplasmosis	The acquired form of infection by Toxoplasma gondii in animals and man.	Toxoplasma gondii Infection,Infection, Toxoplasma gondii
D044045	Lipoxins	Trihydroxy derivatives of eicosanoic acids. They are primarily derived from arachidonic acid, however eicosapentaenoic acid derivatives also exist. Many of them are naturally occurring mediators of immune regulation.	Lipoxin
D057131	Immune Evasion	Methods used by pathogenic organisms to evade a host's immune system.	Evasion, Immune,Evasions, Immune,Immune Evasions