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IMMUNOMETABOLISM

Malaria thriving on steroids

Nature Metabolism volume 3, pages 892–893 (2021)Cite this article

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Malaria causes many changes in human metabolism, although the extent to which these changes underpin pathology and the host immune response remains poorly understood. In this issue of Nature Metabolism, Abdrabou et al. show that malaria is associated with elevated levels of circulating steroids in susceptible children and propose that these immunosuppressive lipids exacerbate disease.

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Fig. 1: Steroids produced by susceptible children suppress T cell expansion and activation.

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Acknowledgements

M.J.M. is supported as an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow. C.R.E. is supported as an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Malcolm J. McConville

  2. QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia

    Christian R. Engwerda

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  1. Malcolm J. McConville
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  2. Christian R. Engwerda
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Correspondence to Malcolm J. McConville or Christian R. Engwerda.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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McConville, M.J., Engwerda, C.R. Malaria thriving on steroids. Nat Metab 3, 892–893 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00416-5

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