Plasmodium vivax Infection Impairs Regulatory T-Cell Suppressive Function During Acute Malaria

J Infect Dis. 2018 Sep 8;218(8):1314-1323. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiy296.

Abstract

The balance between pro- and antiinflammatory mechanisms is essential to limit immune-mediated pathology, and CD4+ forkhead box P3 (Foxp3+) regulatory T cells (Treg) play an important role in this process. The expression of inhibitory receptors regulates cytokine production by Plasmodium vivax-specific T cells. Our goal was to assess the induction of programmed death-1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen (CTLA-4) on Treg during malaria and to evaluate their function. We found that P. vivax infection triggered an increase in circulating Treg and their expression of CTLA-4 and PD-1. Functional analysis demonstrated that Treg from malaria patients had impaired suppressive ability and PD-1+Treg displayed lower levels of Foxp3 and Helios, but had higher frequencies of T-box transcription factor+ and interferon-gamma+ cells than PD-1-Treg. Thus malaria infection alters the function of circulating Treg by triggering increased expression of PD-1 on Treg that is associated with decreased regulatory function and increased proinflammatory characteristics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Malaria, Vivax / immunology*
  • Malaria, Vivax / parasitology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasmodium vivax
  • Reticulocytes / parasitology
  • Reticulocytes / physiology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / physiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Cytokines