TY - JOUR

T1 - Immune response to soluble exoantigens of Plasmodium falciparum may contribute to both pathogenesis and protection in clinical malaria: evidence from a longitudinal, prospective study of semi-immune African children

AU - Riley, E M

AU - Jakobsen, P H

AU - Allen, S J

AU - Wheeler, J G

AU - Bennett, S

AU - Jepsen, S

AU - Greenwood, B M

N1 - Keywords: Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan; Antigens, Protozoan; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Interferon-gamma; Longitudinal Studies; Lymphocyte Activation; Malaria; Plasmodium falciparum; Prospective Studies

PY - 1991

Y1 - 1991

N2 - Some soluble exoantigens of Plasmodium have lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-like properties and are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of acute malaria. We have studied cellular and humoral immune responses to several purified exoantigens of Plasmodium falciparum in a cohort of children and compared these responses with their subsequent susceptibility to malaria infection and clinical disease. We found no evidence that either lymphoproliferative or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) responses to these antigens were associated with protective immunity. On the contrary, children whose cells produced IFN-gamma after in vitro activation with one of the soluble antigens (Ag7) were more likely to experience clinical manifestations of malaria infection (fever and malaise) than were children whose cells did not produce IFN-gamma. It is possible that exoantigen-induced IFN-gamma may exacerbate the LPS-like effects of these antigens. However, serum antibodies to another antigen (Ag2) were more prevalent in children with asymptomatic infections or low parasitemia than in children with fever and higher parasitemia (confirmed clinical malaria), suggesting that these antibodies may contribute to the development of protective immunity.

AB - Some soluble exoantigens of Plasmodium have lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-like properties and are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of acute malaria. We have studied cellular and humoral immune responses to several purified exoantigens of Plasmodium falciparum in a cohort of children and compared these responses with their subsequent susceptibility to malaria infection and clinical disease. We found no evidence that either lymphoproliferative or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) responses to these antigens were associated with protective immunity. On the contrary, children whose cells produced IFN-gamma after in vitro activation with one of the soluble antigens (Ag7) were more likely to experience clinical manifestations of malaria infection (fever and malaise) than were children whose cells did not produce IFN-gamma. It is possible that exoantigen-induced IFN-gamma may exacerbate the LPS-like effects of these antigens. However, serum antibodies to another antigen (Ag2) were more prevalent in children with asymptomatic infections or low parasitemia than in children with fever and higher parasitemia (confirmed clinical malaria), suggesting that these antibodies may contribute to the development of protective immunity.

U2 - 10.1002/eji.1830210424

DO - 10.1002/eji.1830210424

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 1902173

VL - 21

SP - 1019

EP - 1025

JO - European Journal of Immunology

JF - European Journal of Immunology

SN - 0014-2980

IS - 4

ER -