Regulatory T cells in malaria--friend or foe?
T cell-mediated inflammatory immune responses contribute to both the clearance and pathology of malaria infections; the host's ability to down-regulate inflammation once parasitemia is controlled is crucial to avoid immune-mediated pathology but remains poorly understood. Various regulatory populations of T lymphocytes can modulate inflammatory immune responses and there has been considerable recent interest in the potential for regulatory T cells to modify the outcome of both murine and human malaria infections. Here, we review these studies, focussing in particular on recent studies in humans, propose a model by which different regulatory T cell populations might contribute to the control of inflammation at different stages of infection and discuss the implications for the design of safe and effective malaria vaccines.
Finney
Olivia C
OC
Malaria Programme, MRC Laboratories, Fajara, PO Box 273 Banjul, The Gambia.
Riley
Eleanor M
EM
Walther
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology*; D017780:Malaria Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D017780:Malaria Vaccines