CD1d-restricted NK T cells are dispensable for specific antibody responsesand protective immunity against liver stage malaria infection in mice

Immunization with a single dose of irradiated sporozoites is sufficient to induce protection against malaria in wild-type mice. Although this protecti on is classically attributed to conventional CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, sev eral recent reports have suggested an important role for CD1-restricted NK T cells in immunity to malaria. in this study, we directly compared the abi lity of C57BL/6 wild-type and CD1-deficient mice to mount a protective immu ne response against Plasmodium berghei sporozoites. Our data indicate that CD1-restricted NK T cells are not required for protection in this model sys tem. Moreover, specific IgG antibody responses to the P. berghei circumspor ozoite repeat sequence were also unaffected by CD1 deficiency. Collectively , our data demonstrate that CD1-restricted NK T cells are dispensable for p rotective immunity to liver stage P. berghei infection.