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  • Title: The long pentraxin PTX3 as a link among innate immunity, inflammation, and female fertility.
    Author: Bottazzi B, Bastone A, Doni A, Garlanda C, Valentino S, Deban L, Maina V, Cotena A, Moalli F, Vago L, Salustri A, Romani L, Mantovani A.
    Journal: J Leukoc Biol; 2006 May; 79(5):909-12. PubMed ID: 16478917.
    Abstract:
    The long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is member of a complex superfamily of multifunctional proteins characterized by a cyclic multimeric structure. PTX3 is highly conserved in evolution and is produced by innate-immunity cells in response to proinflammatory signals and Toll-like receptor engagement. PTX3 plays complex, nonredundant functions in vivo, acting as a predecessor of antibodies, recognizing microbes, activating complement, facilitating pathogen recognition by phagocytes, and hence, playing a nonredundant role in resistance against selected pathogens. In addition, PTX3 is essential in female fertility by acting as a nodal point for the assembly of the cumulus oophorus hyaluronan-rich extracellular matrix. Thus, the prototypic long pentraxin PTX3 is a multifunctional, soluble pattern recognition receptor acting as a nonredundant component of the humoral arm of innate immunity and involved in matrix deposition and female fertility.
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