NK cells

Molecular group: 
Immune cells
Molecule/Cell: 
NK cells
Plasmodium strain: 
Plasmodium berghei ANKA
pRBC infection titer: 
10^6
Mouse genetic background (Con): 
C57BL/6
Experimental treatment group (EG): 
anti-asialo GM1
Lethal infection (Con): 
yes
Lethal infection (EG): 
80% (at the end of observation day 15)
Pathology (Con): 
CM (100%)
Pathology (EG): 
No CM
Parasitemia (EG vs Con): 
Increased on day 6
Additional phenotypes (EG vs Con): 
Prolonged survival (~ 1 week); similar naïve and activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in spleen; ↓ sequestration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the brain; ↓ CXCR3+ T cells in the spleen; ↓ chemotactic response of T cells to IP-10 and T cell migration to the brain could be partially restored by adoptive transfer of IFN-g +/+ NK cells but not by IFN-g -/- NK cells; adoptively transferred IFN-g +/+, but not IFN-g -/- NK cells, were able to migrate into the brain of infected animals
Refs: 
Hansen et al., 2007, J Immunol