Protection of Batf3-deficient mice from experimental cerebral malaria correlates with impaired cytotoxic T-cell responses and immune regulation.

ABSTRACT: Excessive inflammatory immune responses during infections with Plasmodium parasites are responsible for severe complications such as cerebral malaria (CM) that can be studied experimentally in mice. Dendritic cells (DCs) activate cytotoxic CD8⁺ T-cells and initiate immune responses against the parasites. Batf3^-/- mice lack a DC subset, which efficiently induces strong CD8 T-cell responses by cross-presentation of exogenous antigens. Here we show that Batf3^-/- mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) were protected from experimental CM (ECM), characterized by a stable blood-brain barrier (BBB) and significantly less infiltrated peripheral immune cells in the brain. Importantly, the absence of ECM in Batf3^-/- mice correlated with attenuated

SUBMITTER: Kuehlwein JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6954726 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature