Modulation of cytokine profiles by malaria pigment--hemozoin: role of IL-10 in suppression of proliferative responses of mitogen stimulated human PBMC.

The malaria parasite pigment hemozoin (Hz) is internalized by circulating and resident phagocytes and modulates their functions. We report here that Hz from Plasmodium falciparum inhibits proliferative responses of PHA stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in a dose dependent manner. Hz phagocytosed monocyte/macrophages (MO/MQ) secreted high levels of IL-10, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, but inhibition of proliferation was mediated by IL-10 alone which was reversed by neutralization of the cytokine. Drastic decrease in the levels of IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-gamma were observed in supernatants from PBMC stimulated in the presence of Hz loaded MO/MQ cells. Exogenous addition of these cytokines did not abrogate immunosuppression indicating the inability of these cytokines to enhance proliferation in the presence of IL-10. We provide additional data that the IL-10 levels correlated positively with the load of Hz in the MO/MQ. Kinetics of IL-10 secretion analyzed up to day 6 in MO/MQ cultures fed with Hz revealed that high levels of IL-10 were secreted during the first 48 h after ingestion and decreased drastically at later time points.