The Dual Complexity of PTX3 in Health and Disease: A Balancing Act?

Trends Mol Med. 2016 Jun;22(6):497-510. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2016.04.007. Epub 2016 May 11.

Abstract

The humoral arm of innate immunity is complex and includes various molecules that serve as markers of inflammation with complementary characteristics, such as the short pentraxins C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid P (SAP) and the long pentraxin PTX3. There is a growing amount of evidence - including mouse and human genetics - that suggests that PTX3 is essential in conferring host resistance against selected pathogens and, moreover, that it plays a dual antagonistic role in the regulation of inflammation. Dissection of such a yin-and-yang role of pentraxins in immunity and inflammation is timely and significant as it may pave the way for better clinical exploitation against various diseases.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • C-Reactive Protein / genetics
  • C-Reactive Protein / immunology
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology*
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Mutation
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / genetics
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / immunology
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / metabolism*
  • Virus Diseases / immunology
  • Virus Diseases / metabolism

Substances

  • Serum Amyloid P-Component
  • PTX3 protein
  • C-Reactive Protein