Severe malarial anemia associated with increased soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) concentrations in Gabonese children.
To investigate if severe malarial anemia is associated with specific cytokine overproduction, we evaluated serum levels of soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) from three groups of young children with Plasmodium falciparum infection (asymptomatic cases, uncomplicated malaria cases and severe malarial anemia cases), in a hyperendemic area of Gabon. In uncomplicated cases, only TNF levels were significantly (p < 0.001) increased in comparison to asymptomatic cases with P. falciparum infection. High levels of sFasL, TNF-alpha and IL-10 were associated with low hemoglobin concentrations, sFasL levels were significantly higher in children with severe malarial anemia (p < 0.001) as compared to both other groups. The parasite density was positively correlated with IL-10, TNF-alpha and sFasL levels. TNF-alpha and sFasL, but not IL-10 or parasitemia, were independent predictors of hemoglobin concentrations. These results suggest that, in malaria, a specific dysregulation of the cytokine balance may lead to complications such as severe anemia.
Issifou
Saadou
S
Unité de Recherches Médicales, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Mavoungou
Elie
E
Borrmann
Steffen
S
Bouyou-Akotet
Marielle K
MK
Matsiegui
Pierre-Blaise
PB
Kremsner
Peter G
PG
Ntoumi
Francine
F
D000208:Acute Disease; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10