Circulating immune complexes in Plasmodium knowlesi infected Kra, and merozoite vaccinated Rhesus monkeys

The presence of circulating soluble immune complexes that bind the C1q component of complement has been determined in the sera of two monkey species showing different degrees of clinical immunity to Plasmodium knowlesi infection. Material binding C1q was found in the serum of both primarily infected Kra monkeys and post-vaccinated immune Rhesus monkeys following the onset of parasitaemia. The complexes then disappeared from the circulation of Kra monkeys despite continuing low-grade parasitaemia, but in Rhesus monkeys C1q binding material remained detectable for up to 3 weeks after apparent elimination of parasites. The ability of complexes to bind C1q was removed by reduction and alkylation and binding material was absorbed by staphylococcal protein A suggesting the presence of Ig. Further analysis of the binding material is required to fully establish its constitution and possible immunoregulatory function at different stages of infection in the two monkey species.