Osteopontin and malaria : no direct effect on parasite growth, but correlation with P. falciparum-specific B cells and BAFF in a malaria endemic area
Background: The dysregulation of B cell activation is prevalent during naturally acquired immunity against malaria. Osteopontin (OPN), a protein produced by various cells including B cells, is a phosphorylated glycoprotein that participates in immune regulation and has been suggested to be involved in the immune response against malaria. Here we studied the longitudinal concentrations of OPN in in