The liver responds to malaria with increased expressions of genes encoding cytolytic effector molecules, though differently at different phases of the blood-stage infections, evidenced by increased transcript levels of Ncr1, Prf1, and some members of the Gzm gene family, i.e., Gzma, Gzmb, Gzmc, Gzmk, and Gzmm. Significantly enhanced transcript levels by vaccination were found for Ncr1, Prf1, and Gzmc at early pre-patency on day 1 p.i., for Prf1, Gzma, and Gzmb at early patency on day 4 p.i., and for Ncr1 and Gzmk towards the end of the crisis phase on day 11 p.i.. Here, NCR1 is linked to infection.