Chemokines and Their Role in Parasitic Diseases

Abstract

Chemotactic cytokines (chemokines), the intercellular mediators, produced and released by a wide variety of cell types, are a group of small secreted proteins (8–10 KDa), which mediate host response to invading organisms (viruses, bacteria, parasites), trauma or tumor. The trafficking, recruiting and recirculation of leukocytes, which is essential in acute and chronic inflammation is controlled by chemokines. This review introduces the three supergene families of chemokines (CXC, CC and C), with emphasis on their adhesion mechanism, biological effects, regulation of expression and critical role in different disease states in humans and in animal models with parasitic diseases.