HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (14) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by SUGUITAN, A. L. Articles by TAYLOR, D. W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by SUGUITAN, A. L., JR. Articles by TAYLOR, D. W. Related Collections Malaria

MALARIA-ASSOCIATED CYTOKINE CHANGES IN THE PLACENTA OF WOMEN WITH PRE-TERM DELIVERIES IN YAOUNDE, CAMEROON

The prevalence of pre-term deliveries (PTDs) is increased in women who become infected with Plasmodium falciparum during pregnancy. Because prematurity is a risk factor for newborns, it is important to identify conditions that contribute to malaria-associated PTDs. Plasmodium falciparum–infected erythrocytes sequester in the placenta and attract activated mononuclear cells that secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines. Increased inflammatory cytokine levels in other microbial infections are associated with PTDs. To determine if such is the case in women with placental malaria, concentrations of interferon- (IFN-), tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and IL-10 were measured in placental plasma of 391 malaria-infected and -uninfected Cameroonian women with premature and full-term deliveries. Risk factors for malaria-associated PTDs included peripheral and placental parasitemias greater than 1%, maternal anemia, elevated IL-10 levels, and low TNF-:IL-10 ratios due to over-expression of IL-10. Alterations in cytokine levels may contribute to PTDs through the induction of anemia and/or altering cellular immune responses required for eliminating placental parasites.

Received June 12, 2003. Accepted for publication September 18, 2003.

Acknowledgments: We express our gratitude to all the Cameroonian women who participated in this study. We are indebted for the immense help of the entire staff of the Biotechnology Center of the University of Yaounde, including the medical students who participated in the sample collection.

Financial support: This work was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (grant numbers UO1A153 and UO1AI-43888).

^* These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors’ addresses: Amorsolo L. Suguitan, Jr., Simon Metenou, Lucy Thuita, and Diane Wallace Taylor, Room 406, Reiss Science Building, Department of Biology, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20057. Timothy J. Cadigan, Department of Biology, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510, Telephone: 570-941-4348. Thu A. Nguyen, Mayo Medical Center, Rochester, MN 55905, Telephone: 617-388-1938. Ainong Zhou, AZ Data Clinic, Inc., Rockville, MD, 20850, Telephone: 240-476-2148. Robert J. I. Leke, Rosette Megnekou, Josephine Fogako and Rose G. F. Leke, The Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon, Telephone: 237-223-7479.

Reprint requests: Diane Wallace Taylor, Room 406, Reiss Science Building, Department of Biology, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20057, Telephone: 202-687-5972, Fax: 202-687-5662, E-mail: taylordw{at}georgetown.edu.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. P. Murphy, C. Tayade, A. A. Ashkar, K. Hatta, J. Zhang, and B. A. Croy Interferon Gamma in Successful Pregnancies Biol Reprod, May 1, 2009; 80(5): 848 - 859. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. R. Kabyemela, M. Fried, J. D. Kurtis, T. K. Mutabingwa, and P. E. Duffy Fetal Responses during Placental Malaria Modify the Risk of Low Birth Weight Infect. Immun., April 1, 2008; 76(4): 1527 - 1534. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Poovassery and J. M. Moore Murine Malaria Infection Induces Fetal Loss Associated with Accumulation of Plasmodium chabaudi AS-Infected Erythrocytes in the Placenta Infect. Immun., May 1, 2006; 74(5): 2839 - 2848. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Brustoski, U. Moller, M. Kramer, A. Petelski, S. Brenner, D. R. Palmer, M. Bongartz, P. G. Kremsner, A. J. F. Luty, and U. Krzych IFN-{gamma} and IL-10 Mediate Parasite-Specific Immune Responses of Cord Blood Cells Induced by Pregnancy-Associated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria J. Immunol., February 1, 2005; 174(3): 1738 - 1745. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Moore, S. Chaisavaneeyakorn, D. J. Perkins, C. Othoro, J. Otieno, B. L. Nahlen, Y. P. Shi, and V. Udhayakumar Hemozoin Differentially Regulates Proinflammatory Cytokine Production in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Seropositive and -Seronegative Women with Placental Malaria Infect. Immun., December 1, 2004; 72(12): 7022 - 7029. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Suguitan Jr., D. C. Gowda, G. Fouda, L. Thuita, A. Zhou, R. Djokam, S. Metenou, R. G. F. Leke, and D. W. Taylor Lack of an Association between Antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum Glycosylphosphatidylinositols and Malaria-Associated Placental Changes in Cameroonian Women with Preterm and Full-Term Deliveries Infect. Immun., September 1, 2004; 72(9): 5267 - 5273. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]