Alterations on peripheral B cell subsets following an acute uncomplicated clinical malaria infection in children

doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-238

Malaria Journal

Volume 7

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Asito AS
Moormann AM
Kiprotich C
Ng'ang'a ZW
Ploutz-Snyder R
Rochford R

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Moormann AM
Kiprotich C
Ng'ang'a ZW
Ploutz-Snyder R
Rochford R
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Alterations on peripheral B cell subsets following an acute uncomplicated clinical malaria infection in children

Amolo S Asito¹^,2 , Ann M Moormann³ , Chelimo Kiprotich² , Zipporah W Ng'ang'a¹ , Robert Ploutz-Snyder⁴^,6 and Rosemary Rochford⁵

¹School of Pure and Applied Science, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

²Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya

³Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

⁴Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA

⁵Department of Microbiology and Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA

⁶Biostatistics Lab, Human Adaptation and Countermeasures Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Houston, TX, USA

author email corresponding author email

Malaria Journal 2008, 7:238doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-238


Published:	18 November 2008

Abstract

Background

The effects of Plasmodium falciparum on B-cell homeostasis have not been well characterized. This study investigated whether an episode of acute malaria in young children results in changes in the peripheral B cell phenotype.

Methods

Using flow-cytofluorimetric analysis, the B cell phenotypes found in the peripheral blood of children aged 2–5 years were characterized during an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria and four weeks post-recovery and in healthy age-matched controls.

Results

There was a significant decrease in CD19⁺B lymphocytes during acute malaria. Characterization of the CD19⁺B cell subsets in the peripheral blood based on expression of IgD and CD38 revealed a significant decrease in the numbers of naive 1 CD38^-IgD⁺B cells while there was an increase in CD38⁺IgD^-memory 3 B cells during acute malaria. Further analysis of the peripheral B cell phenotype also identified an expansion of transitional CD10⁺CD19⁺B cells in children following an episode of acute malaria with up to 25% of total CD19⁺B cell pool residing in this subset.

Conclusion

Children experiencing an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria experienced profound disturbances in B cell homeostasis.