T-CELL IMMUNITY IN MALARIA

Immunity to malaria is a complex process. In malaria endemic areas, su stained clinical immunity develops gradually. Protective immunity to m alaria comprises both antibody-dependent and antibody-independent effe ctor mechanisms. Although, the relative roles of B and T cells differ in different malaria systems and different stages of the parasite, T c ells are essential for the induction and maintenance of immunity again st malaria. T cell-derived soluble factors are believed to be importan t mediators of cellular effector mechanisms. The efficacy of an antige n as a malaria vaccine depends to a great extent on the T cell recogni tion sites and the nature of the responses induced by these determinan ts. In order to select suitable epitopes in an immunogen, an understan ding of the definition of antigenic sites recognized by T cells and ch aracterization of the nature of the T cell responses induced in malari a endemic populations is important.