0000000000181491
AUTHOR
Anja Fries
showing 2 related works from this author
Digestive vacuole of Plasmodium falciparum released during erythrocyte rupture dually activates complement and coagulation.
2012
Abstract Severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria evolves through the interplay among capillary sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes, deregulated inflammatory responses, and hemostasis dysfunction. After rupture, each parasitized erythrocyte releases not only infective merozoites, but also the digestive vacuole (DV), a membrane-bounded organelle containing the malaria pigment hemozoin. In the present study, we report that the intact organelle, but not isolated hemozoin, dually activates the alternative complement and the intrinsic clotting pathway. Procoagulant activity is destroyed by phospholipase C treatment, indicating a critical role of phospholipid head groups exposed at the DV surfa…
Melittin Modulates Keratinocyte Function through P2 Receptor-dependent ADAM Activation
2012
Melittin, the major component of the bee venom, is an amphipathic, cationic peptide with a wide spectrum of biological properties that is being considered as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. It modulates multiple cellular functions but the underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood. Here, we report that melittin activates disintegrin-like metalloproteases (ADAMs) and that downstream events likely contribute to the biological effects evoked by the peptide. Melittin stimulated the proteolysis of ADAM10 and ADAM17 substrates in human neutrophil granulocytes, endothelial cells and murine fibroblasts. In human HaCaT keratinocytes, melittin induced shedding of the adhesion molecu…