Frequency of cytokine-producing CD4-CD8- peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
The frequency of cytokine-producing CD4-/CD8- mononuclear cells was assessed in patients of different age groups (29 infants, aged 1-5 years; 30 schoolchildren, aged 6-14 years, 26 adults, aged > 15 years) with acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria, from Gabon. Fifteen patients were followed up before antimalarial treatment (day 0), during parasite clearance (day 3) and after resolution of parasitemia (day 10). By using flow cytometry for intracellular detection of cytokines, a striking expansion of CD4-/CD8- cells producing the type 1 cytokines interleukin (IL)-2-/interferon (IFN)-gamma+, IL-2+/IFN-gamma+ and IL-2+/IFN-gamma- was observed in adults as compared with children. Type 2 cytokine expression (IL-4+/IFN-gamma-, IL-13+/IFN-gamma-) and type 0 cells (IL-4+/IFN-gamma+, IL-13+/IFN-gamma+) were not significantly different between the three age groups. Patients with severe malaria had a significantly increased frequency of type 2 cytokine-producing CD4-/CD8- cells. Drug-induced clearance of parasitemia was characterized by a decrease of IL-2+/IFN-gamma- and type 2 cytokine expressing CD4-/CD8- cells and by a gradual increase of IL-10+/IFN-gamma- expression. The type 1/type 2 dichotomy observed within the CD4-/CD8- cell population is likely to be of significance in the host response against P. falciparum malaria.
Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Vienna, Währingergürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. stefan.winkler@akh-wien.ac.at
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S
Winkler
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Willheim
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K
Baier
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Graninger
P G
PG
Kremsner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007378:Interleukins; D008222:Lymphokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma