CD4 alphabeta T lymphocytes express high levels of the T lymphocyte antigen CTLA-4 (CD152) in acute malaria.
The role of T lymphocytes in human acute malaria remains under debate. The kinetics of T cell activation in acute malaria were investigated, with emphasis on CTLA-4 (CD152). In patients with malaria, CTLA-4 expression by CD4 alphabeta T lymphocytes was highly increased. After initiation of antiplasmodial treatment, it returned to control values within a few days. gammadelta T cells, which also are implicated in the pathogenesis of human malaria, did not express CTLA-4. The level of CTLA-4 expression at the time of hospital admission was correlated positively with other markers of disease severity-the peak of the parasitemia and the peak of serum neopterin levels. These results show that CTLA-4 is a sensitive and dynamic marker for T lymphocyte activation. Its strong increase in acute malaria argues for the involvement of T cells in the human immune response to plasmodia.
Schlotmann
T
T
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
Waase
I
I
Jülch
C
C
Klauenberg
U
U
Müller-Myhsok
B
B
Dietrich
M
M
Fleischer
B
B
Bröker
B M
BM
D000069594:Abatacept; D000208:Acute Disease; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D000069594:Abatacept