Association between cellular response (IL-4) to RESA/Pf155 and protection from clinical malaria among Papua New Guinean children living in a malaria endemic area.
A prospective study in 207 children aged 0.5-15 years was carried out to examine the relationship between cellular responses to Plasmodium falciparum ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA) and malaria infection and morbidity. The prevalence of lymphoproliferative response to RESA was 13%, IFN-gamma prevalence was 40% and IL-4 prevalence was 22%. Only the IFN-gamma, response to RESA increased significantly with age. When proliferation or stimulation of either cytokine was used to assess T-cell activation the overall frequency of responders increased to 55%. The proliferative and IFN-gamma response to RESA were positively associated. Although there was no association between any of the CMI responses to RESA and concurrent morbidity the prevalence of IL-4 response to RESA was significantly lower in children who experienced clinical malaria in the following year. These results coupled with our earlier data showing a negative relationship between humoral responses to RESA and malaria morbidity support the inclusion of RESA in a subunit vaccine against malaria.
al-Yaman
F
F
Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea.
Genton
B
B
Taraika
J
J
Anders
R
R
Alpers
M P
MP
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C050256:ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA), Plasmodium falciparum; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma