Examination of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Sera from Thai Adults Naturally Infected with Malaria in Assays of Blastogenic Responsiveness to Mitogenic Lectins and Allogeneic Cell Surface Antigens

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Abstract
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Thai adults naturally infected with Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax were examined for the capacity to undergo blastogenesis in response to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A conA, pokeweed mitogen and allogeneic cell surface antigens in a 1-way mixed leukocyte reaction. Sera from actively infected patients were examined with regard to suppressive capabilities toward normal lymphocyte blastogenesis by using the same assays. Patient mononuclear cells exhibited normal reactivity to phytohemagglutinin, conA, and pokeweed mitogen when compared with controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients had a decreased stimulatory capacity in the allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction, and P. vivax, but not P. falciparum, lymphocytes exhibited decreased responsiveness in the mixed leukocyte reaction. Sera from patients with active malaria induced decreased responsiveness by normal mononuclear cells to phytohemagglutinin and conA, but not pokeweed mitogen; pooled P. falciparum sera caused decreased responsiveness to allogeneic cell surgace antigens in the mixed leukocyte reaction. Despite the loss of circulating T cells during the course of infection with malaria, blastogenic responsiveness remains intact. Sera from patients with malaria are capable of exerting negative immunoregulatory effects.