CD19(+) B cells confer protection against experimental cerebral malaria in semi-immune rodent model

PLoS One. 2013 May 28;8(5):e64836. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064836. Print 2013.

Abstract

In African endemic area, adults are less vulnerable to cerebral malaria than children probably because of acquired partial immunity or semi-immune status. Here, we developed an experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) model for semi-immune mice. C57BL/6 (B6) mice underwent one, two and three cycles of infection and radical treatment (1-cure, 2-cure and 3-cure, respectively) before being finally challenged with 10(4) Plasmodium berghei ANKA without treatment. Our results showed that 100% of naïve (0-cure), 67% of 1-cure, 37% of 2-cure and none of 3-cure mice succumbed to ECM within 10 days post challenge infection. In the protected 3-cure mice, significantly higher levels of plasma IL-10 and lower levels of IFN-γ than the others on day 7 post challenge infection were observed. Major increased lymphocyte subset of IL-10 positive cells in 3-cure mice was CD5(-)CD19(+) B cells. Passive transfer of splenic CD19(+) cells from 3-cure mice protected naïve mice from ECM. Additionally, aged 3-cure mice were also protected from ECM 12 and 20 months after the last challenge infection. In conclusion, mice became completely resistant to ECM after three exposures to malaria. CD19(+) B cells are determinants in protective mechanism of semi-immune mice against ECM possibly via modulatory IL-10 for pathogenic IFN-γ production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Antigens, CD19 / metabolism*
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD5 Antigens / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Resistance / immunology
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Interferon-gamma / blood
  • Interleukin-10 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-10 / blood
  • Malaria, Cerebral / blood
  • Malaria, Cerebral / immunology*
  • Malaria, Cerebral / parasitology
  • Malaria, Cerebral / prevention & control*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Parasitemia / immunology
  • Parasitemia / parasitology
  • Plasmodium berghei / physiology
  • Species Specificity
  • Spleen / pathology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, CD19
  • CD5 Antigens
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Interleukin-10
  • Interferon-gamma

Grants and funding

LQB is a recipient of Ph.D. scholarship from the Global COE Program (2009–2013). This work was supported in part by a "Grand-in-Aid for Young Scientists" (17301870, 2008–2009 for NTH) from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan and by Global COE Program for KH (2008–2012). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.