Role of macrophages in experimental malaria: VII--studies on adoptive transfer of macrophages.

ABSTRACT

Adoptive transfer of purified macrophages harvested from normal, Plasmodium berghei infected and latent/cured mice and also macrophages exposed to parasites in vitro were carried out to see the role of macrophages in transferring immunity against P. berghei infection. Macrophages obtained from mice having high parasitaemia at a dose of one million cells/animal showed significant increase in survival period (SP) and K values, compared to controls. Macrophages exposed to low parasite density conferred significant K values only. There was a decrease in prepatent period (PP) in the animal which received macrophages from animals cured 7-11 months compared to controls. The adoptive transfer studies with macrophages conditioned in vitro to parasite contributed towards increased protection of host against P. berghei as expressed by K values only. These studies showed that the macrophages harvested from infected mice were capable of acting as immunogen against P. berghei infection.