Early IL-12 p70, but not p40, production by splenic macrophages correlates with host resistance to blood-stage Plasmodium chabaudi AS malaria.

In this study, we compared synthesis of IL-12, a potent Th1-inducing cytokine, by splenic macrophages recovered from resistant C57Bl/6 (B6) mice, which develop predominantly Th1 responses, and susceptible A/J mice that mount primarily Th2 responses during early Plasmodium chabaudi AS infection. Quantitative analysis of IL-12 p40 and p70 release by ELISA revealed significant differences between resistant B6 and susceptible A/J mice in the synthesis of biologically active IL-12 p70, but not p40, by splenic macrophages during early blood-stage P. chabaudi AS infection. Despite up-regulation in p40 and p35 mRNA levels, spontaneous release of p40 in vitro by splenic macrophages was not significantly increased following infection in either mouse strain. In contrast, spontaneous release of p70 by splenic macrophages was increased in cells from B6 mice and levels were significantly higher compared with A/J mice. Furthermore, compared with infected A/J hosts, splenic macrophages recovered from infected B6 mice produced significantly greater quantities of IL-12 p70, but not p40, in vitro, following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or malaria parasite antigen (PRBC). Moreover, we found significant increases in the percentage of macrophages earlier in the spleens of infected B6 mice that could further contribute to differences in total p70 levels in vivo. Taken together, these data suggest that macrophage IL-12 synthesis may contribute to the polarization of Th responses seen in resistant B6 and susceptible A/J mice during acute blood-stage malaria.