Cytokine and antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum in naïve individuals during a first malaria episode: effect of age and malaria exposure.

Abstract

Age- and exposure-dependent immune responses during a malaria episode may be key to understanding the role of these factors in the acquisition of immunity to malaria. Plasma/serum samples collected from naïve Mozambican children (n=48), European adults (naïve travelers, n=22; expatriates with few prior malaria exposures, n=15) and Mozambican adults with long-life malaria exposure (n=99) during and after a malaria episode were analyzed for IgG against merozoite proteins by Luminex and against infected erythrocytes by flow cytometry. Cytokines and chemokines were analyzed in plasmas/sera by suspension array technology. No differences were detected between children and adults with a primary infection, with the exception of higher IgG levels against 3D7 MSP-1(42) (P=0.030) and a P. falciparum isolate (P=0.002), as well as higher IL-12 (P=0.020) in children compared to other groups. Compared to malaria-exposed adults, children, travelers and expatriates had higher concentrations of IFN-γ (P ≤ 0.0090), IL-2 (P ≤ 0.0379) and IL-8 (P ≤ 0.0233). Children also had higher IL-12 (P=0.0001), IL-4 (P=0.003), IL-1β (P=0.024) and TNF (P=0.006) levels compared to malaria-exposed adults. Although IL-12 was elevated in children, overall the data do not support a role of age in immune responses to a first malaria episode. A T(H)1/pro-inflammatory response was the hallmark of non-immune subjects.

• Authors: Gemma Moncunill, Alfredo Mayor, Alfons Jiménez, Augusto Nhabomba, Laura Puyol, Maria N Manaca, Diana Barrios, Pau Cisteró, Caterina Guinovart, Ruth Aguilar, Azucena Bardají, María-Jesús Pinazo, Evelina Angov, Sheetij Dutta, Chetan E Chitnis, José Muñoz, Joaquim Gascón, Carlota Dobaño
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 8 Issue 2 Pg. e55756 ( 2013) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23437061 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Chemokines
• Cytokines
• Immunoglobulin G
• Recombinant Proteins

Topics

• Adult
• Age Factors
• Antibody Formation (immunology)
• Chemokines (blood)
• Child
• Cytokines (blood, immunology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (blood, immunology)
• Infant
• Malaria, Falciparum (blood, immunology, parasitology)
• Male
• Plasmodium falciparum (immunology)
• Recombinant Proteins (metabolism)
• Seroepidemiologic Studies