molecular epithelial-mesenchymal transition suppressor complex that if disrupted results in the induction of invasive prostate epithelial cell behavior associated with poor prostate cancer survival. Modulators It have been shown that Atorvastatin suppresses CD147 and MMP-3 expression. Statins altered CD147 expression, structure and function. Role in malaria It has recently (November 2011) been found that basigin is a receptor that is essential to erythrocyte invasion by most strains of Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent species of the plasmodium parasites that cause human malaria. It is hoped that by developing antibodies to the parasite ligand for Basigin, Rh5, a better vaccine for malaria might be found. Basigin is bound by the PfRh5 protein on the surface of the malaria parasite. Role in SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) The host-cell-expressed basigin (CD147) may bind spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and possibly be involved in host cell invasion. Subsequently, meplazumab, a humanized anti-CD147 antibody, was tested in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Some of these claims have been challenged by another group of scientists who found no evidence of a direct role for basigin in either binding the viral spike protein or promoting lung cell infection. More recent studies suggests CD147 as SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor of platelets and megakaryocytes, leading to hyperactivation and thrombosis, that differs from common cold coronavirus CoV-OC43. Incubation of megakaryocytecells with SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a significant increase in the proinflammatory transcripts LGALS3BP and S100A9. Notably, CD147 antibody-mediated blocking significantly reduced the expression of S100A9, and S100A8 on megakaryocytes following incubation with SARS-CoV-2. These data indicate that megakaryocytes and platelets actively take up SARS-CoV-2 virions, likely via an ACE-2-independent mechanism. Another study states that platelets challenged with SARS-CoV-2 undergo activation, dependent on the CD147 receptor. Yet SARS-CoV-2 does not replicate in human platelets. References Further reading External links Ok blood group system at BGMUT Blood Group Antigen Gene Mutation Database at NCBI, NIH PDBe-KB provides an overview of all the structure information available in the PDB for Human Basigin Complement system Clusters of differentiation Blood Transfusion medicine Hematology Blood antigen systems