Plasmodium yoelii: influence of antimalarial treatment on acquisition of immunity in BALB/c and DBA/2 mice

Exp Parasitol. 2007 Jul;116(3):266-72. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2007.01.007. Epub 2007 Jan 23.

Abstract

The effect of antimalarial drugs on immune responses to the malaria infection is evaluated in vivo using two experimental self-cured rodent models. BALB/c and DBA/2 mice were infected by Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL and 17XL strains, respectively, and then treated with different doses of antimalarial drugs: chloroquine (228mg/kg or 114mg/kg of the body weight) or artesunate (78mg/kg or 39mg/kg). The effect of antimalarial drugs on host immune responses was evaluated by parasitemia, splenocyte IFN-gamma production level, and parasite-specific IgG level in the serum, however, no significant differences were observed between drug-treated and untreated groups. Moreover, most of the infected mice of all groups showed the ability to resist homologous reinfection (challenged on day 60 post-infection), only a few mice experienced transient, low parasitemia. The rechallenged mice were accompanied by high level of parasite-specific IgG. Therefore, this research implicated that, for BALB/c and DBA/2 mice, chloroquine or artesunate treatment of blood-stage P. yoelii infections does not compromise acquired immunity to malaria in either primary infection or upon rechallenge.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Artemisinins / pharmacology*
  • Artesunate
  • Chloroquine / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Interferon-gamma / analysis
  • Malaria / drug therapy*
  • Malaria / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred DBA
  • Parasitemia / drug therapy
  • Parasitemia / immunology
  • Parasitemia / parasitology
  • Plasmodium yoelii / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium yoelii / immunology
  • Recurrence
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antimalarials
  • Artemisinins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Artesunate
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Chloroquine