Abstract
It has been shown in epidemiological studies that malaria may play a role in the
pathogenesis o f endemic Burkitt’s Lymphoma (eBL). The contribution o f m alaria to the
pathogenesis o f eBL is believed to be due to the imbalances in the immune regulation
during malaria infection. Studies have shown a loss o f CTL function due to a shift o f the
immune responses from T h l towards Th2 T-cell function during malaria infection. This
study sought to investigate the phenotypes o f peripheral blood lymphocytes from eBL
patients and their responses in vitro to malaria antigens. Lymphocyte subset distributions
and activation in the peripheral blood were studied in 22 BL patients and 15 healthy
Ghanaian children by flow cytometry. Plasma and supernatant levels o f TN F-a and IL-10
were measured by ELISA and compared between the two groups. The results show that
lymphocytes from BL patients have significantly low frequencies o f CD3+ (p=0.003) and
CD8+CD3+ (p=0.013) and both the frequency and the absolute counts o f y8+ T cells
(p=0.005 and 0.007 respectively) compared to the controls. The frequency o f V51+ yd+ T
cells was significantly higher in the patients compared to the controls (p=0.047). The data
also indicates that lymphocytes from BL patients were significantly more activated than
those from the controls with regard to the expression o f the activation markers, CD95 and
HLA-DR by CD3T and y5+cells. Plasma level o f TNF-a was lower (p=0.002) whereas
that o f IL-10 was higher in BL patients than in controls (p=0.042). Peripheral blood
mononuclear cells (PBMC) from BL patients produced significantly less TNF-a
compared to the controls when stimulated with Plasmodium fa lc ip a rum schizonts
(p=0.007) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) (p=0.050). Similarly, PBMC from BL
patients secreted significantly less IL-10 in response to PHA than cells from controls
(p=0.016) but with regard to the cells stimulated with P. fa lc ip a rum schizonts there was
no significant difference in secretion o f IL-10 between the two groups. Taken together,
the data show that there are imbalances in the immune system o f BL patients similar to
those found in P. fa lc ip a rum malaria infection suggesting that recurrent P. falciparum
infection can be an additive risk factor for the development and persistence o f eBL.
FUTAGBI, G (2021). PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION AND IN VITRO RESPONSE OF LYMPHOCYTES OF GHANAIAN CHILDREN WITH BURKITT’S LYMPHOMA TO PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA ANTIGENS. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/phenotypic-characterization-and-in-vitro-response-of-lymphocytes-of-ghanaian-children-with-burkitt-s-lymphoma-to-plasmodium-falciparum-malaria-antigens
FUTAGBI, GODFRED "PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION AND IN VITRO RESPONSE OF LYMPHOCYTES OF GHANAIAN CHILDREN WITH BURKITT’S LYMPHOMA TO PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA ANTIGENS" Afribary. Afribary, 31 Mar. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/phenotypic-characterization-and-in-vitro-response-of-lymphocytes-of-ghanaian-children-with-burkitt-s-lymphoma-to-plasmodium-falciparum-malaria-antigens. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
FUTAGBI, GODFRED . "PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION AND IN VITRO RESPONSE OF LYMPHOCYTES OF GHANAIAN CHILDREN WITH BURKITT’S LYMPHOMA TO PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA ANTIGENS". Afribary, Afribary, 31 Mar. 2021. Web. 14 Nov. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/phenotypic-characterization-and-in-vitro-response-of-lymphocytes-of-ghanaian-children-with-burkitt-s-lymphoma-to-plasmodium-falciparum-malaria-antigens >.
FUTAGBI, GODFRED . "PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION AND IN VITRO RESPONSE OF LYMPHOCYTES OF GHANAIAN CHILDREN WITH BURKITT’S LYMPHOMA TO PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA ANTIGENS" Afribary (2021). Accessed November 14, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/phenotypic-characterization-and-in-vitro-response-of-lymphocytes-of-ghanaian-children-with-burkitt-s-lymphoma-to-plasmodium-falciparum-malaria-antigens