Plasmodium DNA-mediated TLR9 activation of T-bet+ B cells contributes to autoimmune anaemia during malaria

Abstract

Autoimmune anaemia often accompanies Plasmodium infection and malaria, but how anaemia is induced is still unclear. Here the authors show that Plasmodium DNA, together with interferon-γ, can activate B cells to induce auto-antibodies that recognize red blood cells and promote their removal to contribute to anaemia onset.