Abstract
To explain the observation that acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria is associated with a transient inability of peripheral blood cells to respond to antigenic stimulation in vitro, we have postulated the disease-induced reallocation of peripheral lymphocytes, possibly by adhesion to inflamed endothelium. We measured plasma levels of soluble markers of endothelial inflammation and T cell activation in 32 patients suffering from acute, uncomplication P. falciparum malaria, as well as in 10 healthy, aparasitemic control donors. All donors were residents of a malaria-endemic area of Eastern State Sudan. In addition, we measured the T cell surface expression of the interleukin-2 receptor (CD25) and the lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA-1; CD11a/CD18). We found that the plasma levels of all inflammation and activation markers were significantly increased in the malaria patients compared with the control donors. In addition, we found a disease-induced depletion of T cells with high expression of the LFA-1 antigen, particularly in the CD4+ subset. The results obtained provide further support for the hypothesis of T cell reallocation to inflamed endothelium in acute P. falciparum malaria.
Original language | English |
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Journal | American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
Volume | 51 |
Issue number | 3 |
Pages (from-to) | 372-9 |
Number of pages | 7 |
ISSN | 0002-9637 |
Publication status | Published - 1994 |