Alterations on peripheral B cell subsets following an acute uncomplicated clinical malaria infection in children

• Published in: Malaria journal Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 238
• Main Authors: Asito, Amolo S, Moormann, Ann M, Kiprotich, Chelimo, Ng'ang'a, Zipporah W, Ploutz-Snyder, Robert, Rochford, Rosemary
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 18.11.2008; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 - analysis; Animals; Antigens, CD19 - analysis; B cells; B-Lymphocytes - chemistry; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Care and treatment; Case-Control Studies; Causes of; Child, Preschool; Children; Diagnosis; Flow Cytometry; Health aspects; Humans; Immunoglobulin D - analysis; Immunologic Memory; Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum - immunology; Neprilysin - analysis; Plasmodium falciparum - immunology; Kenya
• ISSN: 1475-2875; 1475-2875
• DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-7-238

The effects of Plasmodium falciparum on B-cell homeostasis have not been well characterized. This study investigated whether an episode of acute malaria in young children results in changes in the peripheral B cell phenotype. Using flow-cytofluorimetric analysis, the B cell phenotypes found in the peripheral blood of children aged 2-5 years were characterized during an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria and four weeks post-recovery and in healthy age-matched controls. There was a significant decrease in CD19+ B lymphocytes during acute malaria. Characterization of the CD19+ B cell subsets in the peripheral blood based on expression of IgD and CD38 revealed a significant decrease in the numbers of naive 1 CD38-IgD+ B cells while there was an increase in CD38+IgD- memory 3 B cells during acute malaria. Further analysis of the peripheral B cell phenotype also identified an expansion of transitional CD10+CD19+ B cells in children following an episode of acute malaria with up to 25% of total CD19+ B cell pool residing in this subset. Children experiencing an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria experienced profound disturbances in B cell homeostasis.