title: Immunity to placental malaria. I. Elevated production of interferon-gamma by placental blood mononuclear cells is associated with protection in an area with high transmission of malaria.
abstract: In areas in which malaria is holoendemic, primigravidae and secundigravidae, compared with multigravidae, are highly susceptible to placental malaria (PM). The nature of gravidity-dependent immune protection against PM was investigated by measuring in vitro production of cytokines by placental intervillous blood mononuclear cells (IVBMC). The results demonstrated that interferon (IFN)-gamma may be a critical factor in protection against PM: production of this cytokine by PM-negative multigravid IVBMC was elevated compared with PM-negative primigravid and secundigravid and PM-positive multigravid cells. Low IFN-gamma responsiveness to malarial antigen stimulation, most evident in the latter group, was balanced by increased interleukin (IL)-4 production, suggesting that counter-regulation of these two cytokines may be a crucial determinant in susceptibility to PM. A counter-regulatory relationship between IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha was also observed in response to malarial antigen stimulation. These data suggest that elevated production of IFN-gamma, as part of a carefully regulated cytokine network, is important in the control of PM.
authors: Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Moore
authors: B L
authors: BL
authors: Nahlen
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Misore
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Lal
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Udhayakumar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D010477:Perfusion; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma