CYTOKINES AND T-CELL RESPONSE IN MALARIA

The intracellular protozoan Plasmodium sp induces a complex immune res ponse which sometimes implies serious pathological effects for the hos t. According to in vitro studies and epidemiological surveys, several effector mechanisms are displayed against plasmodial blood stages and a large interaction between humoral and cell-mediated immunity is pres umed to occur among protected individuals. The key role of T cells in the antiplasmodial immune response is now well established, but all th e regulatory heterogenous mechanisms are not yet fully known. An incre asing body of data shows a dual role during malaria attack for some cy tokines released by monocytes and macrophages (TNF, IL-1, IL-6) or by T cells (IFN-gamma, lymphotoxin (LT), IL-4). The importance of some pl asmodial proteins in the cytokine-induced pathology and the stimulatio n of a preferential T(H)1 or T(H)2 mediated immune response to achieve protective immunity against Plasmodium sp are discussed.