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Cabantous S, Doumbo O, Ranque S, Poudiougou B, Traore A, Hou X, Keita MM, Cisse MB, Dessein AJ, Marquet S. Alleles 308A and 238A in the tumor necrosis factor alpha gene promoter do not increase the risk of severe malaria in children with Plasmodium falciparum infection in Mali. Infect Immun 2006; 74:7040-2. [PMID: 16982833 PMCID: PMC1698072 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01581-05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) aggravates malaria in children is supported by observations that TNF polymorphisms and high TNF levels have been associated with cerebral malaria. Nevertheless, severe malaria was not associated with polymorphisms located at positions -308A and -238A in the TNF alpha gene promoter or with a high TNF level in plasma in children from Bamako, Mali.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine Cabantous
- Immunology and Genetics of Parasitic Diseases, INSERM UMR399, Faculty of Medicine Timone, 27 Blvd. Jean Moulin, Marseille 13385 Cedex 5, France
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102
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Ribeiro-Dias F, Tosta CE. Dynamics and kinetics of natural killer cell cytotoxicity in human malaria as evaluated by a novel stepwise cytotoxicity assay. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2006; 39:357-64. [PMID: 17119751 DOI: 10.1590/s0037-86822006000400008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2004] [Accepted: 07/27/2006] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria causes important functional alterations of the immune system, but several of them are poorly defined. To evaluate thoroughly the natural killer cell cytotoxicity in patients with malaria, we developed a technique capable to assess both the dynamics and the kinetics of the process. For the kinetics assay, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were previously incubated with K562 cells and kept in agarose medium, while for the dynamics assay both cells were maintained in suspension. NK activity from patients with vivax malaria presented a kinetics profile faster than those with falciparum malaria. NK cytotoxicity positively correlated with parasitemia in falciparum malaria. The dynamics of NK cytotoxicity of healthy individuals was elevated at the beginning of the process and then significantly decreased. In contrast, malaria patients presented successive peaks of NK activity. Our results confirmed the occurrence of alteration in NK cell function during malaria, and added new data about the NK cytotoxicity process.
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MESH Headings
- Acute Disease
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Animals
- Case-Control Studies
- Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic/methods
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/immunology
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/physiology
- Female
- Humans
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/physiology
- Kinetics
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/parasitology
- Malaria, Falciparum/immunology
- Malaria, Falciparum/parasitology
- Malaria, Vivax/immunology
- Malaria, Vivax/parasitology
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Parasitemia/immunology
- Time Factors
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Affiliation(s)
- Fátima Ribeiro-Dias
- Area de Patologia, Laboratório de Imunologia Celular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF
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103
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Yone CLRP, Kube D, Kremsner PG, Luty AJF. Persistent Epstein-Barr viral reactivation in young African children with a history of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2006; 100:669-76. [PMID: 16313933 DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2005.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2005] [Revised: 08/10/2005] [Accepted: 08/10/2005] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Plasmodium falciparum have overlapping distributions and are thought to have causal interactions, particularly with regard to the aetiology of endemic Burkitt's lymphoma. Using real-time PCR, we quantified and compared EBV DNA levels in the blood before and after antimalarial treatment of age- and gender-matched groups of Gabonese children who presented with either mild or severe P. falciparum malaria. Following treatment, the prevalence of EBV DNA declined in the mild malaria group but increased in the severe malaria group, and a significantly higher proportion of the latter had EBV DNA detectable in their blood when they were healthy and parasite free (67% vs. 39%; P=0.013). High EBV DNA loads were associated with more malaria attacks and with elevated plasma concentrations of both TNF-alpha and IL-12p40. Significantly more under 5 year olds had EBV DNA, highlighting the strong age dependence of the interaction between the two pathogens. These findings confirm that EBV is reactivated during acute P. falciparum malaria but, importantly, also reveal that: (i) EBV activity persists at a higher frequency in children with a history of severe malaria; and (ii) higher peripheral blood EBV DNA loads are associated with susceptibility to more frequent P. falciparum episodes and with altered cytokine activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarisse L R P Yone
- Department of Parasitology, Institute for Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstrasse 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
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104
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Zeyrek FY, Kurcer MA, Zeyrek D, Simsek Z. Parasite density and serum cytokine levels in Plasmodium vivax malaria in Turkey. Parasite Immunol 2006; 28:201-7. [PMID: 16629705 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2006.00822.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to investigate the relationship between quantitative Plasmodium vivax parasitaemia and serum cytokine levels in a highly endemic region of Turkey, where such a relation has not been investigated before. Active screening was done in a total of 1316 people residing in 33 villages of Sanliurfa province, Turkey. The study population consisted of 79 consecutive patients with P. vivax malaria, and a control group included 89 healthy subjects. Thick blood smears were examined for malaria parasite and parasite count. Serum samples were analysed for IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12 by the ELISA method. Compared to controls, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, i.e. IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-12, were significantly higher in patients with parasitaemia. There was a significant positive correlation between serum IL-10 and IL-12 levels and the parasite burden (r = 0.264, P = 0.024 and r = 0.264, P = 0.024, respectively). Serum IL-8 levels showed a significant negative correlation with parasite burden (r =-0.356, P = 0.002). There was a positive correlation between IL-8 levels and age, while the opposite was observed for IL-12. High fever was correlated with IL-6 and IL-10 levels. Compared to controls, patients with a parasite count greater than 5000/microL had a significantly higher IL-1beta and IL-10 levels (P < 0.05), while the difference was not significant for patients with a parasite count less than 1000/microL. Thus, we can conclude that pro-inflammatory response against P. vivax gains more importance during periods of increased parasite burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Yildiz Zeyrek
- Harran University Medical Faculty, Microbiology, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
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105
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Malaguarnera L, Musumeci M, Di Rosa M, Scuto A, Musumeci S. Interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and lipopolysaccharide promote chitotriosidase gene expression in human macrophages. J Clin Lab Anal 2005; 19:128-32. [PMID: 15900564 PMCID: PMC6808155 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.20063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Human chitotriosidase (Chit), a chitinolytic enzyme, is a member of the chitinase family. In human plasma, Chit activity has been proposed as a biochemical marker of macrophage activation in several lysosomal diseases. Recently we found that Chit activity is higher in patients affected by Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection, suggesting that Chit may reflect induction of an immunological response. To assess this hypothesis, we evaluated the CHIT1 mRNA levels in human monocytes/macrophages (HMMs) following treatment with interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Stimulation of macrophages with INF-gamma, TNF-alpha, and LPS resulted in an increase in Chit activity as well as the levels of CHIT1 mRNA as measured by quantitative real-time PCR. The data presented in this article show that Chit plays a role in the response to the activation of INF-gamma-, TNF-alpha-, and LPS-driven macrophages, suggesting that the production of Chit by macrophages could have biological relevance in the immune-response.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Malaguarnera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Italy.
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106
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Abstract
Hundreds of millions of people suffer from malaria, and more than a million children die of malaria each year. Malaria typically presents with fever and headache, but the presentation often is nonspecific. The diagnosis should be based on blood tests, and thick and thin smears are the standard means of identifying parasites. In some areas, chloroquine still is effective as treatment, but other medications are needed in most parts of the world. Patients with severe disease (altered consciousness, marked anemia, and/or respiratory distress) should begin therapy parenterally. Control measures depend on the use of insecticide-treated bednets, early identification and treatment of symptomatic individuals, and intermittent preventive therapy. Progress continues toward the development of a useful vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea P Summer
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
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107
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Muniz-Junqueira MI, Silva FO, de Paula-Júnior MR, Tosta CE. Thalidomide influences the function of macrophages and increases the survival of Plasmodium berghei-infected CBA mice. Acta Trop 2005; 94:128-38. [PMID: 15817259 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2005.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2004] [Revised: 02/11/2005] [Accepted: 03/07/2005] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in vast areas of the world, mainly due to the severe forms of Plasmodium falciparum infection. The exacerbated immune response, with increased production of TNF and reactive nitrogen and oxygen intermediates, plays a role in the complex pathogenesis of the disease. It is recognised that thalidomide decreases TNF production and may modulate several functions of the immune system. This work evaluated the influence of thalidomide on macrophage functions, and its ability to protect against severe disease. Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected mice were (n=11) or were not (n=10) intra-gastric treated with thalidomide (150 mg/kg per day), and two other control groups not infected with the parasite were (n=8) or were not (n=10) treated with the drug, and macrophage production of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide, and phagocytosis were assessed on the eighth day post-infection. Thalidomide increased the survival time of infected mice, in parallel with a 26.5% increase of the mean of macrophage phagocytic index, and augmented in 13% the mean of the production of hydrogen peroxide and in 45% the mean of nitric oxide production by macrophages related to the non-treated P. berghei-infected mice. Our data indicate that thalidomide improves the outcome of P. berghei ANKA-infected CBA mice and suggest that this drug could represent a new alternative to be associated to antimalarial drugs to decrease the morbidity and mortality of severe malaria in non-pregnant individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Imaculada Muniz-Junqueira
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, 70910-900 Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
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108
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Malaguarnera L, Musumeci M, Licata F, Di Rosa M, Messina A, Musumeci S. Prolactin induces chitotriosidase gene expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages. Immunol Lett 2005; 94:57-63. [PMID: 15234536 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2004.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2004] [Revised: 03/15/2004] [Accepted: 03/15/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Human chitotriosidase (Chit), a chitinolytic enzyme, is a member of the chitinase family. In human's plasma Chit activity have been proposed as a biochemical marker of macrophage activation in several lysosomal diseases. Recently we found that Chit activity is higher in patients affected by Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection suggesting that chitotriosidase may induce an immunological response. The pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) is a multifunctional polypeptide also produced by immune cells and represents a key component of the neuroendocrine-immune loop. The presence of PRL receptors in macrophage suggests that PRL is involved in regulating functions in these cells. Our objective in this study was to investigate the effect of PRL in human monocyte-derived macrophages (HMMs) on Chit production. Administration of PRL in HMMs was found to increase both expression and activity of Chit in a time and dose dependent manner as quantified, respectively, by real time PCR and Chit activity assay. PRL-treated monocyte-derived macrophages showed also an enhanced release of superoxide anion (O2-) release. Our observations confirm that PRL regulates HMMs activation and suggest, for the first time, that it influences immune function also through the induction of Chit activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Malaguarnera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Via Firenze 42, Acicastello Catania 95021, Italy.
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109
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Lyke KE, Burges R, Cissoko Y, Sangare L, Dao M, Diarra I, Kone A, Harley R, Plowe CV, Doumbo OK, Sztein MB. Serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and IL-12(p70) in Malian children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria and matched uncomplicated malaria or healthy controls. Infect Immun 2004; 72:5630-7. [PMID: 15385460 PMCID: PMC517593 DOI: 10.1128/iai.72.10.5630-5637.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory cytokines play an important role in human immune responses to malarial disease. However, the role of these mediators in disease pathogenesis, and the relationship between host protection and injury remains unclear. A total of 248 cases of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria among children aged 3 months to 14 years residing in Bandiagara, Mali, were matched to cases of uncomplicated malaria and healthy controls. Using modified World Health Organization criteria for defining severe malaria, we identified 100 cases of cerebral malaria (coma, seizure, and obtundation), 17 cases of severe anemia (hemoglobin, <5 g/dl), 18 cases combined cerebral malaria with severe anemia, and 92 cases with hyperparasitemia (asexual trophozoites, >500,000/mm3). Significantly elevated levels (given as geometric mean concentrations in picograms/milliliter) of interleukin-6 (IL-6; 485.2 versus 54.1; P = <0.001), IL-10 (1,099.3 versus 14.1; P = <0.001), tumor necrosis factor alpha (10.1 versus 7.7; P = <0.001), and IL-12(p70) (48.9 versus 31.3; P = 0.004) in serum were found in severe cases versus healthy controls. Significantly elevated levels of IL-6 (485.2 versus 141.0; P = <0.001) and IL-10 (1,099.3 versus 133.9; P = <0.001) were seen in severe malaria cases versus uncomplicated malaria controls. Cerebral malaria was associated with significantly elevated levels of IL-6 (754.5 versus 311.4; P = <0.001) and IL-10 (1,405.6 versus 868.6; P = 0.006) compared to severe malaria cases without cerebral manifestations. Conversely, lower levels of IL-6 (199.2 versus 487.6; P = 0.03) and IL-10 (391.1 versus 1,160.9; P = 0.002) were noted in children with severe anemia compared to severe malaria cases with hemoglobin at >5 g/dl. Hyperparasitemia was associated with significantly lower levels of IL-6 (336.6 versus 602.1; P = 0.002). These results illustrate the complex relationships between inflammatory cytokines and disease in P. falciparum malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Lyke
- Center for Vaccine Development, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
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110
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Malaguarnera L, Simporè J, Prodi DA, Angius A, Sassu A, Persico I, Barone R, Musumeci S. A 24-bp duplication in exon 10 of human chitotriosidase gene from the sub-Saharan to the Mediterranean area: role of parasitic diseases and environmental conditions. Genes Immun 2004; 4:570-4. [PMID: 14647197 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gene.6364025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Human chitotriosidase (Chit) is a member of the chitinase family and it is synthesized by activated macrophages. Recently, a genetic polymorphism was found to be responsible for the common deficiency in Chit activity, frequently encountered in different populations. We analyzed the Chit gene in some ethnic groups from the Mediterranean and African areas, to evaluate whether the Chit gene polymorphism correlates with the changes in environmental features and the disappearance of parasitic diseases. We found a heterozygote frequency for the duplication of 24 bp in exon 10 of 44% in Sicily and 32.71% in Sardinia, whereas those homozygous Chit deficient were 5.45 and 3.73%, respectively. In contrast, in Benin and Burkina Faso, both mesoendemic regions for Plasmodium falciparum malaria and other infections due to intestinal parasites, a low incidence of Chit mutation was found (heterozygous 0 and 2%, respectively) and no subject was homozygous for Chit deficiency. Our results provide evidence of the fact that the low frequency or the absence of mutant Chit gene may represent a protective factor in the population still living in disadvantaged environmental conditions. The present study suggests that the disappearance of parasitic diseases and the improved environmental conditions may have ensued the occurrence of a high percentage of 24-bp mutation in Sicily, in Sardinia and in other Mediterranean countries, whereas in the sub-Saharan regions (Benin and Burkina Faso), the widespread parasitic diseases and the poor social status have contributed to maintenance of the wild-type Chit gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Malaguarnera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
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111
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Jaramillo M, Plante I, Ouellet N, Vandal K, Tessier PA, Olivier M. Hemozoin-inducible proinflammatory events in vivo: potential role in malaria infection. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2004; 172:3101-10. [PMID: 14978116 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.172.5.3101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
During malaria infection, high levels of proinflammatory molecules (e.g., cytokines, chemokines) correlate with disease severity. Even if their role as activators of the host immune response has been studied, the direct contribution of hemozoin (HZ), a parasite metabolite, to such a strong induction is not fully understood. Previous in vitro studies demonstrated that both Plasmodium falciparum HZ and synthetic HZ (sHZ), beta-hematin, induce macrophage/monocyte chemokine and proinflammatory cytokine secretion. In the present study, we investigated the proinflammatory properties of sHZ in vivo. To this end, increasing doses of sHZ were injected either i.v. or into an air pouch generated on the dorsum of BALB/c mice over a 24-h period. Our results showed that sHZ is a strong modulator of leukocyte recruitment and more specifically of neutrophil and monocyte populations. In addition, evaluation of chemokine and cytokine mRNA and protein expression revealed that sHZ induces the expression of chemokines, macrophage-inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha/CCL3, MIP-1beta/CCL4, MIP-2/CXCL2, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/CCL2; chemokine receptors, CCR1, CCR2, CCR5, CXCR2, and CXCR4; cytokines, IL-1beta and IL-6; and myeloid-related proteins, S100A8, S100A9, and S100A8/A9, in the air pouch exudates. Of interest, chemokine and cytokine mRNA up-regulation were also detected in the liver of i.v. sHZ-injected mice. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that sHZ is a potent proinflammatory agent in vivo, which could contribute to the immunopathology related to malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maritza Jaramillo
- Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Quebec, Pavillon Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval, and Département de Biologie Médicale, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, Quebec, Canada
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112
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Beare NAV, Southern C, Kayira K, Taylor TE, Harding SP. Visual outcomes in children in Malawi following retinopathy of severe malaria. Br J Ophthalmol 2004; 88:321-4. [PMID: 14977760 PMCID: PMC1772055 DOI: 10.1136/bjo.2003.025924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AIM To investigate whether retinal changes in children with severe malaria affect visual acuity 1 month after systemic recovery. METHODS All children with severe malaria admitted to a research ward in Malawi during one malaria season were examined by direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy. Visual acuity was tested in those attending follow up by Cardiff cards, Sheridan-Gardiner single letters, or Snellen chart. RESULTS 96 (68%) children attended follow up, of whom 83 (86%) had visual acuity measured. Cardiff cards were used in 47 (57%) children, and Sheridan-Gardiner letters or Snellen chart in 29 (35%). There was no significant difference in the mean logMAR visual acuity between groups with or without macular whitening (0.14 versus 0.16, p = 0.55). There was no trend for worse visual acuity with increasing severity of macular whitening (p = 0.52) including patients in whom the fovea was involved (p = 0.32). Six (4.2%) children had cortical blindness after cerebral malaria, and all six had other neurological sequelae. Ophthalmoscopy during the acute illness revealed no abnormalities in four of these children. CONCLUSION Retinal changes in severe malaria, in particular macular whitening, do not appear to affect visual acuity at 1 month. This supports the hypothesis that retinal whitening is due to reversible intracellular oedema in response to relative hypoxia, caused by sequestered erythrocytes infected by Plasmodium falciparum. Impaired visual functioning after cerebral malaria is not attributable to retinal changes and appears to be a cortical phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A V Beare
- St Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
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113
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114
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Moncada DM, Kammanadiminti SJ, Chadee K. Mucin and Toll-like receptors in host defense against intestinal parasites. Trends Parasitol 2003; 19:305-11. [PMID: 12855381 DOI: 10.1016/s1471-4922(03)00122-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal mucin is a constituent of luminal barrier function and is the first line of host defense against invading pathogens. Mucin carbohydrates and amino acids, as well as trapped soluble host defense molecules, serve as substrates for colonization and control or deter pathogen invasion to the underlying mucosal epithelial cells. Toll-like receptors on the surface of epithelial cells act as sensors for invading pathogens, and the ensuing host response limits parasite invasion and leads to adaptive immunity. The latest work in the field and the use of parasite model systems to illustrate the delicate host-parasite interaction at the mucosal surface of the gut are discussed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcy M Moncada
- Institute of Parasitology of McGill University, Macdonald Campus, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Quebec, Canada
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115
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Aucan C, Walley AJ, Hennig BJW, Fitness J, Frodsham A, Zhang L, Kwiatkowski D, Hill AVS. Interferon-alpha receptor-1 (IFNAR1) variants are associated with protection against cerebral malaria in the Gambia. Genes Immun 2003; 4:275-82. [PMID: 12761564 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gene.6363962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The chromosome 21q22.11 cytokine receptor cluster contains four genes that encode subunits of the receptors for the cytokines interleukin-10 and interferon-alpha, -beta and -gamma that may have a role in malaria pathogenesis. A total of 15 polymorphic markers located within these genes were initially genotyped in 190 controls and 190 severe malaria cases from The Gambia. Two interferon-alpha receptor-1 (IFNAR1) gene SNPs (17470 and L168 V) showed evidence for an association with severe malaria phenotypes and were typed in a larger series of samples comprising 538 severe malaria cases, 338 mild malaria cases and 562 controls. Both the 17470-G/G and L168V-G/G genotypes were associated with protection against severe malaria, in general, and cerebral malaria, in particular (P=0.004 and 0.003, respectively). IFNAR1 diplotypes were then constructed for these two markers using the PHASE software package. The (17470-G L168V-G/17470-G L168V-G) diplotype was found to be associated with a reduced risk of cerebral malaria and the (17470-C L168V-C/17470-G L168V-G) diplotype with an increased risk of cerebral malaria (overall 3 x 2 chi(2)=12.8, d.f.=2, P=0.002 and 3 x 2 chi(2)=15.2, d.f.=2, P=0.0005, respectively). These data suggest a role for the type I interferon pathway in resistance to cerebral malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Aucan
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Henry Wellcome Building of Genomic Medicine, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.
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116
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Musumeci M, Malaguarnera L, Simporè J, Messina A, Musumeci S. Modulation of immune response in Plasmodium falciparum malaria: role of IL-12, IL-18 and TGF-beta. Cytokine 2003; 21:172-8. [PMID: 12788305 DOI: 10.1016/s1043-4666(03)00049-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The interaction between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 12 (IL-12), interleukin 18 (IL-18) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) plays an important role in malaria pathogenesis and outcome, modulating the immunoresponse in Plasmodium falciparum malaria. In our previous studies, we analyzed the plasmatic levels of IL-12, IL-18 and TGF-beta in 105 African children with different degrees of malaria and we correlated the production of these cytokines with the severity of the disease. The aim of the present study was to analyze with a mathematical model, taking into account all the relationships between these cytokines and the parameter variations involved in malaria pathogenesis that influence the results of each type of treatment or therapeutic protocol on patients at different stages of the disease. A mathematical correlation was demonstrated between the levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and from this it was possible to build curves of reference in which each patient was positioned based on IL-12 level. Our data, obtained in patients with mild and severe diseases, demonstrate that the levels of IL-12 represent a reliable parameter to predict the progression of the disease, which may be complemented or modulated by administration of IL-18 and TGF-beta. Our findings provide future implications for an immune therapy against the P. falciparum malaria infection, especially in the early phase of the disease showing that a more aggressive outcome may be due to the lack of a balanced immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Musumeci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Italy.
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117
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Torre D, Speranza F, Martegani R. Role of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the immune response to Plasmodium falciparum malaria. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2002; 2:719-20. [PMID: 12467687 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(02)00449-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donato Torre
- Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital and Macchi Foundation, Viale Borri 57, 21100, Varese, Italy.
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Malaguarnera L, Pignatelli S, Musumeci M, Simporè J, Musumeci S. Plasma levels of interleukin-18 and interleukin-12 in Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Parasite Immunol 2002; 24:489-92. [PMID: 12654091 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-3024.2002.00485.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Interleukin (IL)-18 produced primarily by mononuclear phagocytes synergizes with IL-12 for interferon-gamma production from T, B and natural killer cells. It has been also demonstrated that, in Plasmodium falciparum malaria, IL-18 could have an immunoregulatory function. The aim of this study was to detect the plasma levels of IL-12 and IL-18, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in 105 African children affected by mild and severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria to correlate the production of these cytokines with the severity of the disease. The levels of IL-18 and IL-12 were higher (25.7 +/- 7.6 pg/ml and 17.1 +/- 7.8 pg/ml, respectively) in children with mild malaria than in children with a severe form of the disease (21.5 +/- 10 pg/ml and 13.2 +/- 5.5 pg/ml, respectively). A positive correlation was observed between IL-18 and IL-12. This finding suggests that the production of these two cytokines (IL-18 and IL 12) may be coregulated and both have an immunoregulatory effect on the immune response in Plasmodium falciparum infection.
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