Blood-stage plasmodium berghei infection generates a potent, specific CD8 T-cell response despite residence largely in cells lacking MHC i processing machinery

Abstract

Murine cerebral malaria is a complex disease caused by Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection. Several cell types, including CD8+ T cells, are essential effectors of disease. Although the use of transgenic parasites expressing model antigens has revealed the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific for these model antigens, there is no direct evidence for a response to authentic blood-stage parasite antigens, nor any knowledge of its magnitude. Our studies show that there is a dramatic primary parasite-specific CTL response, akin to viral immunity, reaching approximately 30% of splenic CD8+ T cells, with many producing interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α. These cells express granz..