Open Access

ARTICLE

Plasmodium falciparum-specific interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α expressing-T cells are associated with resistance to reinfection and severe malaria in healthy African children

Michael Ramharter^1,2,3, Peter G. Kremsner^2,3, Martin Willheim⁴, Heidi Winkler^1,3, Wolfgang Graninger¹, Stefan Winkler^1,3

1 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
2 Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Germany
3 Medical Research Unit of the Albert Schweitzer-Hospital, Lambaréné, Gabon
4 Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Vienna, Austria

* Corresponding Author: Stefan Winkler,

European Cytokine Network 2004, 15(3), 189-196.

Accepted 03 May 2004;

Abstract

The frequency of P. falciparum-specific interleukin (IL)-2-, interferon (IFN)-γ-, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α- and IL-10-expressing CD3⁺ cells was studied in healthy Gabonese children segregated according to their clinical presentation at admission to a longitudinal study of severe and mild malaria. The percentage of IL-2- and TNF-α- expressing P. falciparum-specific CD3⁺ cells was significantly higher in the children with prior mild malaria and less frequent reinfections compared to the children with prior severe malaria and more frequent reinfections. No differences were shown for P. falciparum-specific IFN-γ and IL-10 expression within CD3⁺ cells and parasite-non-specific expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, TNF-α, and IFN-γ within the CD4⁺ , CD8⁺ , TCRγ/δ⁺ CD3⁺ and CD94⁺ CD3^– cell populations, indicating that immunological determinants regulating the susceptibility to malaria in age-matched children are parasite-specific. The ability of P. falciparum-specific T cells to mount a rapid IL-2 and TNF-α response might be of significance in preventing severe disease and reinfection.

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Keywords

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