Escape of malaria parasites from host immunity requires CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells.
Infection with malaria parasites frequently induces total immune suppression, which makes it difficult for the host to maintain long-lasting immunity. Here we show that depletion of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (T(reg)) protects mice from death when infected with a lethal strain of Plasmodium yoelii, and that this protection is associated with an increased T-cell responsiveness against parasite-derived antigens. These results suggest that activation of T(reg) cells contributes to immune suppression during malaria infection, and helps malaria parasites to escape from host immune responses.
Hisaeda
Hajime
H
Department of Immunology & Parasitology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.
Maekawa
Yoichi
Y
Iwakawa
Daiji
D
Okada
Hiroko
H
Himeno
Kunisuke
K
Kishihara
Kenji
K
Tsukumo
Shin-ichi
S
Yasutomo
Koji
K
D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010967:Plasmodium yoelii / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2