Interleukin‐10 modulates susceptibility in experimental cerebral malaria

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In this study, we examined the effects of interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) on the outcome of experimental cerebral malaria (CM), a lethal neurological syndrome that occurs in susceptible strains of mice after infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA). Constitutive IL‐10 mRNA levels were significantly higher in the spleen and brain of resistant animals. In vivo neutralization of endogenous IL‐10 in CM‐resistant mice induced the neurological syndrome in 35·7% of these mice, as opposed to 7·7% in controls. IL‐10 inhibited PbA antigen‐specific interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) production in vitro but not tumour necrosis factor (TNF) serum levels in vivo. Susceptible mice, on the other hand, were significantly protected against CM when injected with recombinant IL‐10. Overall, our findings suggest that IL‐10 plays a protective role against experimental cerebral malaria.

This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit: