Responses to malarial antigens are altered in helminth-infected children

Malaria and helminth infections often coincide in the same tropical regions. Studies of the consequences of helminth and malaria coinfection in humans have been few and are mainly epidemiological, with little information on cellular immune responses. In this study, we investigated the antimalarial immune responses of Ghanaian children living in a rural area with a high prevalence of both helminth infection and Plasmodium falciparum infection. Whole blood specimens were cultured with P. falciparum-infected red blood cells (iRBCs), and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and immune regulatory molecules were measured. In response to iRBCs, levels of interleukin (IL)-10, but not tumor necrosis factor-alpha,were higher in samples from helminth-infected children than in those from uninfected children, as was expression of the regulatory molecules suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3, Foxp3, and programmed death (PD)-1. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between SOCS-3 gene expression and IL-10 production. These results indicate that the presence of helminth infection modulates the immune response to malarial parasites, making it more anti-inflammatory.