Quantitative estimation of suppressor/cytotoxic and helper T cells during acute and chronic Plasmodium berghei infection.
In the present study, the percentage of lymphocyte subpopulations and their relation to T cell subsets was estimated during acute and chronic Plasmodium berghei malaria. During acute infection, a decreased percentage of T lymphocytes was observed, whereas no change was observed during chronic infection. However, no change in the percentage of B cells was observed in both types of infection. The T cell population was characterized by an increased percentage of T suppressor cytotoxic (CD8+) cells and a decreased percentage of T helper cells (CD4+) during acute infection. This resulted in an inversion of the CD8+/CD4+ cell ratio. During chronic infection no change in the CD8+ cell percentage was observed; however some increase in CD4+ cell percentage was observed in later stages. Thus failure of the immune system to overcome acute infection may be due to an increase in T suppressor cells, and maintenance of parasites at subpatent levels during chronic infection may involve the normal CD8+/CD4+ cell ratio with some increase in CD4+ cells.
Wangoo
A
A
Department of Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, India.
Kaur
S
S
Ganguly
N K
NK
Bhatti
G
G
Mahajan
R C
RC
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal