Differential immunoglobulin E and cytokine responses in BALB/c and C57Bl/6mice during repeated infections with blood-stage Plasmodium chabaudi malaria

Repeated blood-stage Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS challenge infections i n BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice result in increased serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E l evels and splenic cytokine production. The genetic background of the host i nfluences both the cytokine response as well as the development of IgE anti bodies. BALB/c mice showed high interleukin (IL)-4 secretion from splenocyt es after in-vitro stimulation with malaria antigen after repeated P. chabau di challenges and this was closely followed by higher levels of total IgE. Despite slightly elevated serum IgE levels, splenocytes from C57Bl/6 mice d id not secrete any detectable IL-4 but produced interferon (IFN)-gamma in r esponse to malaria antigen-stimulation in vitro. These data suggest that in duction of IgE antibodies during murine malaria infection is genetically re gulated.