Modulation of the Host's Immune Response to Plasmodium berghei by a Parasite-Derived Immunosuppressive Factor |
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Authors: | EDWARD F SROUR MARIANGELA SEGRE DIEGO SEGRE |
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Institution: | Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT. It is well known that Plasmodium -infected hosts are immunosuppressed, as shown by their depressed immune responsiveness to a variety of antigens. It is not known, however, whether the immune response of malaria-infected animals to the malarial parasite itself is suppressed. The availability of a noninfectious, immunosuppressive factor (ISF) derived from Plasmodium berghei -infected rat erythrocytes made it possible to investigate this question. Mice infected with P. berghei and injected with the ISF had higher levels of parasitemia and shorter survival times than control mice that were similarly infected but were treated with control material derived from noninfected rat erythrocytes or with saline solution. Conversely, mice immunized against the ISF and then infected with P. berghei had lower parasitemias and longer survival times than mice immunized with the control material or with saline solution. We conclude that immunosuppression in murine malaria affects the course of malaria infection. |
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Keywords: | Erythrocytes immunosuppression macrophages malaria |
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