The Role of T H 1 and T H 2 Cells in a Rodent Malaria Infection

Abstract
CD4 + T cells play a major role in protective immunity against the blood stage of malaria, but the mechanism of protection is unclear. By adoptive transfer of cloned T cell lines, direct evidence is provided that both T H 1 and T H 2 subsets of CD4 + T cells can protect mice against Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi infection. T H 1 cells protect by a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism, whereas T H 2 cells protect by the enhancement and accelerated production of specific immunoglobulin G1 antibody.