Human TNF-α inhibits the pre-erythrocytic stage of PbA.

<p>HepG2/CD81 hepatoma cell cultures were treated with various concentrations of recombinant human TNF-α, 48 h prior to, at the time of, and then 3 h and 24 h after sporozoite inoculation. Cultures were stopped 48 h after sporozoite inoculation. Data are presented as the mean (± SD) reduction in 48 h PbA liver schizont numbers from triplicate experimental wells compared to those from 8 control wells. The number of liver schizonts in the control wells was 357±31. * <i>p</i><0.05 versus control non-treated cultures (Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Dunn test). The rate of infection PbA sporozoites for HepG2/CD81 hepatoma cell was between 0.3 to 2% depending on the experiment. Data are representative of two independent experiments with similar results.