CIRCULATING TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CEREBRAL MALARIA IN PLASMODIUM-BERGHEI-INFECTED C57BI MICE

Administation of neutralizing anti-TNF alpha antibodies did nor preven t Plasmodium berghei induced cerebral malaria (CM) in C57Bl/6 mice, wh en given at different dosages and time intervals. Elevated concentrati ons of immunoreactive TNF alpha were found in the circulation but no b ioactive TNF alpha could be detected in mice developing CM. Furthermor e, elevated TNF alpha receptor concentrations were measured in the pla sma of mice developing CM. Plasma of these mice neutralized bioactive recombinant-mouse TNF alpha indicating that a part of the plasma TNF a lpha-receptors were not complexed with TNF alpha. The apparent absence of free TNF alpha probably explains why treatment with antibodies aga inst TNF alpha failed to prevent development of CM.