Reciprocal regulation of Th1- and Th2-cytokine-producing T cells during clearance of parasitemia in Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Flow cytometry for the intracellular detection of T-cell cytokines was performed for 15 Gabonese patients during acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. A striking expansion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells producing gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) was found during drug-induced clearance of parasitemia, paralleled by a decrease of interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. The frequency of IL-4- and IL-13-producing CD4(+) cells gradually decreased, whereas the frequency of T cells producing IL-2(+)-IFN-gamma+, IL-4(-)-IL-5(+), and IL-4(+)-IL-5(+) cytokines as well as IL-4(+)-IFN-gamma+ and IL-13(+)-IFN-gamma+ cytokines was not significantly altered. The capacity for IL-10 production within the CD4(+) subset increased due to an expansion of both IL-10(+)-IFN-gamma- and IL-10(+)-IFN-gamma+ cytokine-expressing cells. Thus, a more pronounced Th2-driven immune response during acute untreated P. falciparum infection with a shift towards Th1 responsiveness induced by parasite clearance is suggested.
Winkler
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. stefan.winkler@akh-wien.ac.at
Willheim
M
M
Baier
K
K
Schmid
D
D
Aichelburg
A
A
Graninger
W
W
Kremsner
P G
PG
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005681:Gabon; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines