R. Basir, K. Hasballah, M. Jabbarzare, L.H. Gam, A.M.S. Abdul Majid, M.F. Yam, M.A.M. Moklas, F. Othman, M.T. Che Norma, A. Zalinah, R. Mahmud, W.O. Abdullah
The involvement of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and the effects of modulating its release on the course of malaria infection were investigated using Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection in ICR mice as a model. Results demonstrated that plasma IL-18 concentrations in malarial mice were significantly elevated and positively correlated with the percentage parasitaemia development. Significant expressions of IL-18 were also observed in the brain, spleen and liver tissues. Slower development of parasitaemia was observed significantly upon inhibition and neutralization of IL-18, whereas faster development of parasitaemia was recorded when the circulating levels of IL-18 were further augmented during the infection. Inhibition and neutralization of IL-18 production also resulted in a significant decrease of plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IFNγ, IL-1α and IL-6), whereas the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, was significantly increased. Augmenting the release of IL-18 during the infection on the other hand resulted in the opposite. Early mortality in malarial mice was also observed when the circulating levels of IL-18 were further augmented. Results proved the important role of IL-18 in immune response against malaria and suggest that IL-8 is pro-inflammatory in nature and may involve in mediating the severity of the infection through a pathway of elevating the pro-inflammatory cytokine and limiting the release of anti-inflammatory cytokine.
Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Syiah Kuala University, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, 23111 Darussalam, Banda Aceh, Indonesia; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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