Regulation of the haptoglobin-hemoglobin scavenger receptor CD163 in the inflammatory response to endotoxin.

Sepsis is a worldwide problem with an annual mortality rate reaching as high as 45%. Understanding its pathogenesis and the innate immune response to infection is key to the development of new treatments. CD163, a monocyte/macrophage-specific glycoprotein, is a receptor for haptoglobin-hemoglobin complexes. These complexes are rapidly formed in circulation following h..