Study on protective immunity against infection of Plasmodium yoelii 17XL in DBA/2 mice

To investigate the development and dynamic changes of host immune response in DBA/2 mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17XL.

Female DBA/2 mice were infected by intraperitoneal (i. p.) injection of 10(6) P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes (PRBC). Levels of IL-12, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10 and P. yoelii 17XL-specific antibody in sera were measured by ELISA. Concentrations of NO in cell supernatants were measured by the Griess reaction. Parasitemia, percentage of mononuclear-macrophages of individual mice were monitored daily, and phagocytosis of mononuclear macrophages was also observed.

Primary parasitemia in vein blood was developed on day 3 postinfection, which peaked with a level of 46. 9% on day 9. Most mice cleared the infection and survived by day 20 postinfection. From day 6 to day 16, the phagocytosis of PRBC by rodent macrophages was observed on the blood smear. Infected mice had a continuously increased level of IL-12 in serum from day 1 postinfection. Accordingly, high level of IFN-gamma was also detected in sera from day 1 postinfection, which peaked on day 6. Infected mice produced higher level of IL-4 and IL-10 in serum on day 6 postinfection, which peaked on day 9 and day 15 postinfection respectively. In addition, splenocytes from infected mice produced significantly higher level of NO on day 6 and 20 postinfection. Level of P. yoelii 17XL-specific IgG was determined in the sera of infected mice with a steadily increased trend after infection, which peaked on day 70 postinfection.

Effective polarizing of Th1 cells is significant in inhibition of parasitemia and eventual clearance of the Plasmodium parasites. Activated mononuclear-macrophages play a key role in inhibiting parasitemia in the early phase of infection with P. yoelii 17XL.