Interleukin 10-mediated immunosuppression by a variant CD4 T cell epitope of Plasmodium falciparum

Magdalena Plebanski, Katie L. Flanagan, Edwin A M Lee, William H H Reece, Keith Hart, Colin Gelder, Geraldine Gillespie, Margaret Pinder, Adrian V S Hill

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Abstract

The immunodominant CD4 T cell epitope region, Th2R, of the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum is highly polymorphic. Such variation might be utilized by the parasite to escape from or interfere with CD4 T cell effector functions. Here, we show that costimulation with naturally occurring altered peptide ligands (APL) can induce a rapid change from IFNγ production to the immunosuppressive mediator interleukin 10 (IL- 10). This mechanism may contribute to the low levels of T cell responses observed to this pathogen in malaria-endemic areas.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)651-660
Number of pages10
JournalImmunity
Volume10
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 1999
Externally publishedYes

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