Increased plasma levels of soluble ICAM-1 and ELAM-1 (E-selectin) during acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria

Acute P. falciparum malaria is associated with a loss of antigen-responsiveness of peripheral T cells, depletion of T cells characterized by high surface expression of the adhesion molecule LFA-1, and increased plasma levels of the T-cell activation marker soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R). In the present study we show that clinical episodes of P. falciparum malaria produced an increase in plasma levels of soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) and ELAM-1 (sELAM-1). The increase was transient and subsided slowly (sICAM-1) or rapidly (sELAM-1) following drug cure. The increases in plasma sICAM-1 and sELAM-1 were significantly correlated, and were furthermore associated with a concomitant increase in plasma levels of sIL-2R. Finally, plasma levels of sICAM-1, but not sELAM-1, were inversely correlated to the fraction of peripheral T cells having high surface expression of LFA-1, the receptor for T-cell adhesion to ICAM-1. Taken together, these observations suggest that acute P. falciparum malaria is characterized by a state of endothelial inflammation associated with the adherence of activated T cells.