Abstract
Malaria and helminth infections are two of the most prevalent parasitic diseases globally. While concomitant infection is common, mechanisms contributing to altered disease outcomes during co-infection remain poorly defined. We have previously reported exacerbation of normally non-lethal Plasmodium yoelii malaria in BALB/c mice chronically infected with the intestinal trematode Echinostoma caproni. The goal of the present studies was to determine the effect of helminth infection on IFN-γ and other key cytokines during malaria co-infection in the P. yoelii-E. caproni and P. yoelii-Heligmosomoides polygyrus model systems. Polyclonally stimulated spleen cells from both E. caproni- and H. polygyrus-infected mice produced significantly lower amounts of IFN-γ during P. yoelii co-infection than malaria-only infected mice. Furthermore, the magnitude of IFN-γ suppression was correlated with the relative amounts of IL-4 induced by these helminths (E. caproni = low; H. polygyrus = high), but not IL-10. Concurrent malaria infection also suppressed helminth-associated IL-4 responses, indicating that immunologic counter-regulation occurs during co-infection with malaria and intestinal helminths.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 272-278 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Experimental Parasitology |
Volume | 119 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Co-infection
- Cytokines
- Echinostoma caproni
- Heligmosomoides polygyrus
- Helminths
- IFN-γ
- IL-4
- Immune regulation
- Malaria
- Nematode
- Plasmodium yoelii
- Trematode
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases