Antibody mediated activation of natural killer cells in malaria exposed pregnant women

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Timon Damelang
  • Elizabeth H Aitken
  • Wina Hasang
  • Ester Lopez
  • Martin Killian
  • Holger W Unger
  • Salanti, Ali
  • Alexis Shub
  • Elizabeth McCarthy
  • Katherine Kedzierska
  • Martha Lappas
  • Stephen J Kent
  • Stephen J Rogerson
  • Amy W Chung

Immune effector responses against Plasmodium falciparum include antibody-mediated activation of innate immune cells, which can induce Fc effector functions, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and the secretion of cytokines and chemokines. These effector functions are regulated by the composition of immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fc N-linked glycans. However, a role for antibody-mediated natural killer (NK) cells activation or Fc N-linked glycans in pregnant women with malaria has not yet been established. Herein, we studied the capacity of IgG antibodies from pregnant women, with placental malaria or non-placental malaria, to induce NK cell activation in response to placental malaria-associated antigens DBL2 and DBL3. Antibody-mediated NK cell activation was observed in pregnant women with malaria, but no differences were associated with susceptibility to placental malaria. Elevated anti-inflammatory glycosylation patterns of IgG antibodies were observed in pregnant women with or without malaria infection, which were not seen in healthy non-pregnant controls. This suggests that pregnancy-associated anti-inflammatory Fc N-linked glycans may dampen the antibody-mediated activation of NK cells in pregnant women with malaria infection. Overall, although anti-inflammatory glycans and antibody-dependent NK cell activation were detected in pregnant women with malaria, a definitive role for these antibody features in protecting against placental malaria remains to be proven.

Original languageEnglish
Article number4130
JournalScientific Reports
Volume11
ISSN2045-2322
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

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