Figure 2.
Proposed model of Ang II effect on T cells during blood-stage of Plasmodium infection. Renin-Angiotensin System and Angiotensin receptors are expressed by T cells. Endogenous Ang II could induce autocrine or paracrine effects, mediated by AT1R, which is upregulated during Plasmodium infection. Different effects have been characterized, such as: activation, observed by upregulation of CD69 and CD25; adhesion/migration, mediated by upregulation of chemokine receptors CCR2 and CCR5, adhesion molecule LFA-1 as well as rearrangements of actin cytoskeleton. Finally, Ang II, via AT1R, is also involved in T-cell differentiation/effector function acquisition observed by increased production of cytokines IL-17 and IFN-γ, and perforin, a marker of cytotoxic activity.