T helper (Th) 1 and Th2 cytokine expression profile in dengue and malaria infection using magnetic bead-based bio-plex assay

Dengue and malaria infections are two very common vector-borne diseases annually affecting millions of people around the world. Both diseases show a variety of clinical presentations, ranging from mild symptoms of dengue fever (DF) to severe dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in dengue infection, and low and high parasitemia in malaria infection. T helper (Th)1 and Th2 cytokine expressions in mild and severe forms of dengue virus type-2 (DENV-2) and Plasmodium falciparum infection, were compared to normal human sera using high throughput magnetic bead-based Bio-Plex assay. A significant elevation of Th1 and Th2 cytokines expression [interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon (IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] was detected in DENV-2 and P. falciparum malaria infections compared with normal controls (p < 0.05). DENV-2 infection showed a slight higher expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in DHF than DF, except for IL-13. In P. falciparum infection, high parasitemia showed a significantly higher expression of IL-4, IL-10, GM-CSF, and TNF-α (p < 0.05). Both DENV-2 and P. falciparum malaria infections manifested high IL-10 expression, greatest among the cytokines examined, and in the severe forms of infection. The results of this study should lead to a better understanding of pathogenesis of dengue infection and P. falciparum malaria.