Cytokine profiles and antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection in individuals living in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The ability of the host immune system to efficiently clear Plasmodium falciparum parasites during a malaria infection

depends on the type of immune response mounted by the host.

Study design: In a cross-sectional study, we investigated the cellular-and antibody responses in individuals with P. falciparum

infection, in an attempt to identify immunological signs indicative of the development of natural immunity against malaria in Ibadan,

Nigeria. Levels of IL-10, IL-12(p70), IFN-γ, and IgM, IgG and IgG1-4 subclasses in the serum of 36 symptomatic children with

microscopically confirmed malaria parasitaemia and 54 asymptomatic controls were analysed by ELISA.

Results: IFN-γ and IL-10 were significantly higher in the symptomatic children (p=0.009, p=0.025 respectively) than in the

asymptomatic controls but no differences were seen for IL-12(p70). Estimated higher ratios of IFN-γ/IL-10 and IFN-γ/IL-12 were

also observed in the symptomatic children while the asymptomatic controls had higher IL-12/IL-10 ratio. The mean concentration

levels of anti-P. falciparum IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 antibodies were statistically significantly higher in the individuals >5 years of age than