T cell memory in malaria.
The observation that individuals living in malaria endemic areas fail to develop sterilizing immunity to malaria infection has led to the assumption that malaria-specific immune responses are sub-optimal. Recently, T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice specific for the sporozoite and blood stages of the malaria parasite have been developed. Studies using these models have found that, unexpectedly, T cell memory in malaria is not noticeably defective. However, if T cell memory is 'normal' why are people not better protected? We suggest this is because protective immunity and T cell memory do not always correlate; moreover, T cells alone may simply not be able to provide the type of antibody-mediated sterilizing immunity induced by traditional vaccines.
Cockburn
Ian A
IA
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. fzavala@hsph.edu
Zavala
Fidel
F
D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell