Assessing CD4+Helper T-Lymphocyte Responses by Lymphoproliferation

CD4⁺ helper T cells play a central role in the development of malaria immune responses and a large number of epitopes from the sporozoite, sexual, and asexual stage of malaria proteins have been tabulated in both mice and humans (1 -8 ). It is clear that the incorporation of antigenic determinants stimulating helper T cells is important for the induction of antibody responses (9 -11 ) and cytotoxic T cell responses (12 -15 ) stimulated by peptide or subunit vaccines. Helper T cells (Th) also may act as effectors themselves, by secreting cytokines that may significantly influence the clinical course following infection.