CD4(+) T cell response in early erythrocytic stage malaria: Plasmodium berghei infection in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.

Abstract

Plasmodium berghei ANKA causes lethal malaria in mice. It is well established that C57BL/6 mice die early with fulminant symptoms including convulsion, whereas BALB/c mice survive this phase and die later of anemia and prostration. Early death in C57BL/6 mice has been considered to result from the adverse effects of inflammatory cytokines. To elucidate the CD4(+) T cell responses in early death due to severe malaria, the kinetics of CD4(+) T cells were compared by analyzing cell surface markers and the production of cytokines and transcription factors. The results revealed that cytokine production by CD4(+) T cells was induced as early as 5 days after infection and the maintenance of higher levels of IL-4 and IL-10 may be associated with the protection of BALB/c mice from early death. These results suggest that parasite control in the early phase of infection may be important for the development of an effective vaccine.

• Authors: Akiko Shibui, Nobumichi Hozumi, Chiharu Shiraishi, Yoshitaka Sato, Hajime Iida, Sumio Sugano, Junichi Watanabe
• Journal: Parasitology research (Parasitol Res) Vol. 105 Issue 1 Pg. 281-6 (Jul 2009) ISSN: 1432-1955 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 19352703 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cytokines
• Transcription Factors

Topics

• Animals
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (immunology)
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Gene Expression Profiling
• Malaria (immunology, parasitology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Parasitemia
• Plasmodium berghei (immunology)
• Survival Analysis
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology)
• Transcription Factors (biosynthesis)