Open AccessAntibodies detected against Plasmodium falciparum haemozoin with inhibitory properties to cytokine production
Author(s) -
Biswas Sukla,
Karmarkar Mohan G.,
Sharma Yagya D.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2001.tb09465.x
Subject(s) - plasmodium falciparum , antibody , immunology , malaria , interleukin 6 , cytokine , medicine
Haemozoin, the malaria pigment, regulates the synthesis of several host cytokines and has been found to be associated with the disease severity. Here we describe that malarial patients produce a significant amount of anti‐haemozoin IgM antibodies. Levels of these antibodies were higher among the complicated Plasmodium falciparum cases compared to the non‐complicated P. falciparum group and Plasmodium vivax patients. The P. falciparum haemozoin also induced the synthesis of tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) by the monocytes of the healthy individuals, but the production of these cytokines by the monocytes was inhibited in the presence of the anti‐haemozoin IgM antibodies. Therefore, it seems that the host produces these antibodies (mainly IgM types) during malarial infection that can influence the progression of the disease by inhibiting the production of cytokines.