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Bongomin F, Megwera FJ, Mundua J, Naluwooza N, Ayesiga F, Nsubuga Y, Madraa G, Kibone W, Okot J. Malaria vaccine acceptance among next of kin of children under 5 years of age in Gulu, northern Uganda in 2023: a community-based study. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2024; 11:20499361241247467. [PMID: 38645298 PMCID: PMC11027599 DOI: 10.1177/20499361241247467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria is a leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. The malaria vaccine is an important preventive measure introduced by the World Health Organization to reduce malaria and its associated mortality and morbidity. We aimed to assess the acceptance of the malaria vaccine among next of kin of children under 5 years of age in Gulu City, Northern Uganda. Methods Between October and December 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Pece-Laroo division, Gulu City, Uganda. Socio-demographic, vaccine profile and health system factors were collected. Multivariable logistic regression was performed using STATA 16 to determine factors associated with acceptance of the malaria vaccine among next of kin of children under 5 years. Results A total of 432 participants were enrolled. Of these, the majority were female (72.5%, n = 313) with most aged 30 years and above (51.2%, n = 221). Overall, 430 (99.5%) participants had good knowledge about malaria. The majority (91.4%, n = 395) had good acceptance of the malaria vaccine. Factors independently associated with acceptance of the malaria vaccine were knowing a child who died of malaria [adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.13, p = 0.022] and preferring the injection route for a malaria vaccine (aPR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.06-1.22, p < 0.001). All 395 participants with good knowledge of malaria had good acceptance of the malaria vaccine (p = 0.007). Conclusion There was a high acceptance of the malaria vaccine in Laroo-Pece division, Gulu, Uganda. However, there is a need for further health education to achieve universal acceptability of the malaria vaccine in preparation for the malaria vaccine implementation program in Uganda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Bongomin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Fiona Jollyne Megwera
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Jerry Mundua
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Nabirah Naluwooza
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Frank Ayesiga
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Yakobo Nsubuga
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Grace Madraa
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Winnie Kibone
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Jerom Okot
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
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2
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Bell GJ, Gyaase S, Goel V, Adu B, Mensah B, Essone P, Dosoo D, Osei M, Niare K, Wiru K, Brandt K, Emch M, Ghansah A, Asante KP, Mvalo T, Agnandji ST, Juliano JJ, Bailey JA. Background malaria incidence and parasitemia during the three-dose RTS,S/AS01 vaccination series do not reduce magnitude of antibody response nor efficacy against the first case of malaria. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:716. [PMID: 37872492 PMCID: PMC10594884 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08699-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RTS,S/AS01 has been recommended by WHO for widespread implementation in medium to high malaria transmission settings. Previous analyses have noted lower vaccine efficacies in higher transmission settings, possibly due to the more rapid development of naturally acquired immunity in the control group. METHODS To investigate a reduced immune response to vaccination as a potential mechanism behind lower efficacy in high transmission areas, we examine initial vaccine antibody (anti-CSP IgG) response and vaccine efficacy against the first case of malaria (to exclude the effect of naturally acquired immunity) using data from three study areas (Kintampo, Ghana; Lilongwe, Malawi; Lambaréné, Gabon) from the 2009-2014 phase III trial (NCT00866619). Our key exposures are parasitemia during the vaccination series and background malaria incidence. We calculate vaccine efficacy (one minus hazard ratio) using a cox-proportional hazards model and allowing for the time-varying effect of RTS,S/AS01. RESULTS We find that antibody responses to the primary three-dose vaccination series were higher in Ghana than in Malawi and Gabon, but that neither antibody levels nor vaccine efficacy against the first case of malaria varied by background incidence or parasitemia during the primary vaccination series. CONCLUSIONS We find that vaccine efficacy is unrelated to infections during vaccination. Contributing to a conflicting literature, our results suggest that vaccine efficacy is also unrelated to infections before vaccination, meaning that control-group immunity is likely a major reason for lower efficacy in high transmission settings, not reduced immune responses to RTS,S/AS01. This may be reassuring for implementation in high transmission settings, though further studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin J Bell
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | | | - Varun Goel
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Bright Adu
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Benedicta Mensah
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Paulin Essone
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - David Dosoo
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Musah Osei
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Karamoko Niare
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Kenneth Wiru
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Katerina Brandt
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Michael Emch
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Anita Ghansah
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Tisungane Mvalo
- University of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe, Malawi
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Selidji Todagbe Agnandji
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonathan J Juliano
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
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3
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Rajneesh, Tiwari R, Singh VK, Kumar A, Gupta RP, Singh AK, Gautam V, Kumar R. Advancements and Challenges in Developing Malaria Vaccines: Targeting Multiple Stages of the Parasite Life Cycle. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1795-1814. [PMID: 37708228 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium species, remains a major global health concern, causing millions of deaths annually. While the introduction of the RTS,S vaccine has shown promise, there is a pressing need for more effective vaccines due to the emergence of drug-resistant parasites and insecticide-resistant vectors. However, the complex life cycle and genetic diversity of the parasite, technical obstacles, limited funding, and the impact of the 2019 pandemic have hindered progress in malaria vaccine development. This review focuses on advancements in malaria vaccine development, particularly the ongoing clinical trials targeting antigens from different stages of the Plasmodium life cycle. Additionally, we discuss the rationale, strategies, and challenges associated with vaccine design, aiming to enhance the immune response and protective efficacy of vaccine candidates. A cost-effective and multistage vaccine could hold the key to controlling and eradicating malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajneesh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rahul Tiwari
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Vishal K Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Awnish Kumar
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rohit P Gupta
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Akhilesh K Singh
- Faculty of Dental Science, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Vibhav Gautam
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rajiv Kumar
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
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4
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Tukwasibwe S, Mboowa G, Sserwadda I, Nankabirwa JI, Arinaitwe E, Ssewanyana I, Taremwa Y, Tumusiime G, Kamya MR, Jagannathan P, Nakimuli A. Impact of high human genetic diversity in Africa on immunogenicity and efficacy of RTS,S/AS01 vaccine. Immunogenetics 2023; 75:207-214. [PMID: 37084013 PMCID: PMC10119520 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-023-01306-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
In modern medicine, vaccination is one of the most effective public health strategies to prevent infectious diseases. Indisputably, vaccines have saved millions of lives by reducing the burden of many serious infections such as polio, tuberculosis, measles, pneumonia, and tetanus. Despite the recent recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) to roll out RTS,S/AS01, this malaria vaccine still faces major challenges of variability in its efficacy partly due to high genetic variation in humans and malaria parasites. Immune responses to malaria vary between individuals and populations. Human genetic variation in immune system genes is the probable cause for this heterogeneity. In this review, we will focus on human genetic factors that determine variable responses to vaccination and how variation in immune system genes affect the immunogenicity and efficacy of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Tukwasibwe
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda.
- Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
- School of Medicine, Uganda Christian University, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Gerald Mboowa
- Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ivan Sserwadda
- Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | | | - Yoweri Taremwa
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Gerald Tumusiime
- School of Medicine, Uganda Christian University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Moses R Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Annettee Nakimuli
- School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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5
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Bell GJ, Gyaase S, Goel V, Adu B, Mensah B, Essone P, Dosoo D, Osei M, Niare K, Wiru K, Brandt K, Emch M, Ghansah A, Asante KP, Mvalo T, Agnandji ST, Juliano JJ, Bailey JA. Malaria Transmission Intensity and Parasitemia during the Three-Dose RTS,S/AS01 Vaccination Series do not Reduce Magnitude of Antibody Response nor Efficacy Against the First Case of Malaria. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2960373. [PMID: 37292711 PMCID: PMC10246269 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2960373/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Background RTS,S/AS01 has been recommended by WHO for widespread implementation in medium to high malaria transmission settings. Previous analyses have noted lower vaccine efficacies in higher transmission settings, possibly due to the more rapid development of naturally acquired immunity in the control group. Methods To investigate a reduced immune response to vaccination as a potential mechanism behind lower efficacy in high transmission areas, we examine initial vaccine antibody (anti-CSP IgG) response and vaccine efficacy against the first case of malaria to exclude the delayed malaria effect using data from three study areas (Kintampo, Ghana; Lilongwe, Malawi; Lambaréné, Gabon) from the 2009-2014 phase III trial (NCT00866619). Our key exposures are parasitemia during the vaccination series and malaria transmission intensity. We calculate vaccine efficacy (one minus hazard ratio) using a cox-proportional hazards model and allowing for the time-varying effect of RTS,S/AS01. Results We find that antibody responses to the primary three-dose vaccination series were higher in Ghana than in Malawi and Gabon, but that neither antibody levels nor vaccine efficacy against the first case of malaria varied by transmission intensity or parasitemia during the primary vaccination series. Conclusions We find that vaccine efficacy is unrelated to infections during vaccination. Contributing to a conflicting literature, our results suggest that vaccine efficacy is also unrelated to infections before vaccination, meaning that delayed malaria is likely the main reason for lower efficacy in high transmission settings, not reduced immune responses. This may be reassuring for implementation in high transmission settings, though further studies are needed.
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6
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Kekani LN, Witika BA. Current advances in nanodrug delivery systems for malaria prevention and treatment. DISCOVER NANO 2023; 18:66. [PMID: 37382765 PMCID: PMC10409709 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-023-03849-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening, blood-borne disease with over two hundred million cases throughout the world and is more prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa than anywhere else in the world. Over the years, several treatment agents have been developed for malaria; however, most of these active pharmaceutical ingredients exhibit poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability and may result in drug-resistant parasites, thus increasing malaria cases and eventually, deaths. Factors such as these in therapeutics have led to a better appreciation of nanomaterials. The ability of nanomaterials to function as drug carriers with a high loading capacity and targeted drug delivery, good biocompatibility, and low toxicity renders them an appealing alternative to conventional therapy. Nanomaterials such as dendrimers and liposomes have been demonstrated to be capable of enhancing the efficacy of antimalarial drugs. This review discusses the recent development of nanomaterials and their benefits in drug delivery for the potential treatment of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda N Kekani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, 0208, South Africa
| | - Bwalya A Witika
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, 0208, South Africa.
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7
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Ngulube P. Humoral Immune Responses to P. falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein (Pfcsp) Induced by the RTS, S Vaccine - Current Update. Infect Drug Resist 2023; 16:2147-2157. [PMID: 37077252 PMCID: PMC10106824 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s401247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria vaccines targeting the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of the P. falciparum parasite have been overall relatively promising. RTS, S is a pre-erythrocytic recombinant protein-based malaria vaccine that targets CSP. RTS, S effectiveness shows some limited success regardless of its 58% efficacy for severe disease. P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (Pfcsp) has stood to be the main candidate protein for most pre-erythrocytic stage vaccines. Studies on the structural and biophysical characteristics of antibodies specific to CSP (anti-CSP) are underway to achieve fine specificity with the CSP polymorphic regions. More recent studies have proposed the use of different kinds of monoclonal antibodies, the use of appropriate adjuvants, ideal vaccination dose and frequency, and improved targeting of particular epitopes for the robust production of functional antibodies and high complement-fixing activity as other potential methods for achieving long-lasting RTS, S. This review highlights recent findings regarding humoral immune responses to CSP elicited by RTS, S vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Ngulube
- Department of Biological Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Thyolo, Malawi
- Correspondence: Peter Ngulube, Email
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8
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Shen Y, Parks JM, Smith JC. HLA Class I Supertype Classification Based on Structural Similarity. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 210:103-114. [PMID: 36453976 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
HLA class I proteins, a critical component in adaptive immunity, bind and present intracellular Ags to CD8+ T cells. The extreme polymorphism of HLA genes and associated peptide binding specificities leads to challenges in various endeavors, including neoantigen vaccine development, disease association studies, and HLA typing. Supertype classification, defined by clustering functionally similar HLA alleles, has proven helpful in reducing the complexity of distinguishing alleles. However, determining supertypes via experiments is impractical, and current in silico classification methods exhibit limitations in stability and functional relevance. In this study, by incorporating three-dimensional structures we present a method for classifying HLA class I molecules with improved breadth, accuracy, stability, and flexibility. Critical for these advances is our finding that structural similarity highly correlates with peptide binding specificity. The new classification should be broadly useful in peptide-based vaccine development and HLA-disease association studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Shen
- UT-ORNL Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
| | - Jerry M Parks
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN; and
| | - Jeremy C Smith
- UT-ORNL Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.,Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN; and.,Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
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9
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Bell GJ, Goel V, Essone P, Dosoo D, Adu B, Mensah BA, Gyaase S, Wiru K, Mougeni F, Osei M, Minsoko P, Sinai C, Niaré K, Juliano JJ, Hudgens M, Ghansah A, Kamthunzi P, Mvalo T, Agnandji ST, Bailey JA, Asante KP, Emch M. Malaria Transmission Intensity Likely Modifies RTS, S/AS01 Efficacy Due to a Rebound Effect in Ghana, Malawi, and Gabon. J Infect Dis 2022; 226:1646-1656. [PMID: 35899811 PMCID: PMC10205900 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RTS,S/AS01 is the first malaria vaccine to be approved and recommended for widespread implementation by the World Health Organization (WHO). Trials reported lower vaccine efficacies in higher-incidence sites, potentially due to a "rebound" in malaria cases in vaccinated children. When naturally acquired protection in the control group rises and vaccine protection in the vaccinated wanes concurrently, malaria incidence can become greater in the vaccinated than in the control group, resulting in negative vaccine efficacies. METHODS Using data from the 2009-2014 phase III trial (NCT00866619) in Lilongwe, Malawi; Kintampo, Ghana; and Lambaréné, Gabon, we evaluate this hypothesis by estimating malaria incidence in each vaccine group over time and in varying transmission settings. After estimating transmission intensities using ecological variables, we fit models with 3-way interactions between vaccination, time, and transmission intensity. RESULTS Over time, incidence decreased in the control group and increased in the vaccine group. Three-dose efficacy in the lowest-transmission-intensity group (0.25 cases per person-year [CPPY]) decreased from 88.2% to 15.0% over 4.5 years, compared with 81.6% to -27.7% in the highest-transmission-intensity group (3 CPPY). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that interventions, including the fourth RTS,S dose, that protect vaccinated individuals during the potential rebound period should be implemented for high-transmission settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin J Bell
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Varun Goel
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Paulin Essone
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - David Dosoo
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Bright Adu
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | | | - Kenneth Wiru
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Fabrice Mougeni
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - Musah Osei
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Pamela Minsoko
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - Cyrus Sinai
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Karamoko Niaré
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jonathan J Juliano
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael Hudgens
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anita Ghansah
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | | | - Selidji Todagbe Agnandji
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Michael Emch
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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10
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Feng G, Kurtovic L, Agius PA, Aitken EH, Sacarlal J, Wines BD, Hogarth PM, Rogerson SJ, Fowkes FJI, Dobaño C, Beeson JG. Induction, decay, and determinants of functional antibodies following vaccination with the RTS,S malaria vaccine in young children. BMC Med 2022; 20:289. [PMID: 36002841 PMCID: PMC9402280 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02466-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RTS,S is the first malaria vaccine recommended for implementation among young children at risk. However, vaccine efficacy is modest and short-lived. Antibodies play the major role in vaccine-induced immunity, but knowledge on the induction, decay, and determinants of antibody function is limited, especially among children. Antibodies that promote opsonic phagocytosis and other cellular functions appear to be important contributors to RTS,S immunity. METHODS We studied a phase IIb trial of RTS,S/AS02 conducted in young children in malaria-endemic regions of Mozambique. We evaluated the induction of antibodies targeting the circumsporozoite protein (CSP, vaccine antigen) that interact with Fcγ-receptors (FcRγs) and promote phagocytosis (neutrophils, monocytes, THP-1 cells), antibody-dependent respiratory burst (ADRB) by neutrophils, and natural killer (NK) cell activity, as well as the temporal kinetics of responses over 5 years of follow-up (ClinicalTrials.gov registry number NCT00197041). RESULTS RTS,S vaccination induced CSP-specific IgG with FcγRIIa and FcγRIII binding activity and promoted phagocytosis by neutrophils, THP-1 monocytes, and primary human monocytes, neutrophil ADRB activity, and NK cell activation. Responses were highly heterogenous among children, and the magnitude of neutrophil phagocytosis by antibodies was relatively modest, which may reflect modest vaccine efficacy. Induction of functional antibodies was lower among children with higher malaria exposure. Functional antibody magnitude and the functional activity of antibodies largely declined within a year post-vaccination, and decay were highest in the first 6 months, consistent with the decline in vaccine efficacy over that time. Decay rates varied for different antibody parameters and decay was slower for neutrophil phagocytosis. Biostatistical modelling suggested IgG1 and IgG3 contribute in promoting FcγR binding and phagocytosis, and IgG targeting the NANP-repeat and C-terminal regions CSP were similarly important for functional activities. CONCLUSIONS Results provide new insights to understand the modest and time-limited efficacy of RTS,S in children and the induction of antibody functional activities. Improving the induction and maintenance of antibodies that promote phagocytosis and cellular functions, and combating the negative effect of malaria exposure on vaccine responses are potential strategies for improving RTS,S efficacy and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoqian Feng
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Liriye Kurtovic
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul A Agius
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elizabeth H Aitken
- Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jahit Sacarlal
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Bruce D Wines
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - P Mark Hogarth
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Stephen J Rogerson
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Freya J I Fowkes
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Carlota Dobaño
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia. .,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. .,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.
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11
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Sathishkumar V, Nirmolia T, Bhattacharyya DR, Patgiri SJ. Genetic polymorphism of Plasmodium falciparum msp-1, msp-2 and glurp vaccine candidate genes in pre-artemisinin era clinical isolates from Lakhimpur district in Assam, Northeast India. Access Microbiol 2022; 4:000350. [PMID: 35812711 PMCID: PMC9260089 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Northeast India shares its international border with Southeast Asia and has a number of malaria endemic zones. Monitoring genetic diversity of malaria parasites is important in this area as drug resistance and increasing genetic diversity form a vicious cycle in which one favours the development of the other. This retrospective study was done to evaluate the genetic diversity patterns in Plasmodium falciparum strains circulating in North Lakhimpur area of Assam in the pre-artemisinin era and compare the findings with current diversity patterns. Methods Genomic DNA extraction was done from archived blood spot samples collected in 2006 from malaria-positive cases in Lakhimpur district of Assam, Northeast India. Three antigenic markers of genetic diversity were studied – msp-1 (block-2), msp-2 (block-3) and the glurp RII region of P. falciparum using nested PCR. Results Allelic diversity was examined in 71 isolates and high polymorphism was observed. In msp-1, eight genotypes were detected; K1 (single allele), MAD20 (six different alleles) and RO33 (single allele) allelic families were noted. Among msp-2 genotypes, 22 distinct alleles were observed out of which FC27 had six alleles and IC/3D7 had 16 alleles. In RII region of glurp, nine genotypes were obtained. Expected heterozygosity (HE) values of the three antigenic markers were 0.72, 0.81 and 0.88, respectively. Multiplicity of infection (MOI) values noted were 1.28, 1.84 and 1.04 for msp-1, msp-2 and glurp, respectively. Conclusion Results suggest a high level of genetic diversity in P. falciparum msp (block-2 of msp-1 and block-3 of msp-2) and the glurp RII region in Northeast India in the pre-artemisinin era when chloroqunine was the primary drug used for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Comparison with current studies have revealed that the genetic diversity in these genes is still high in this region, complicating malaria vaccine research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinayagam Sathishkumar
- ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh 786001, Assam, India
| | - Tulika Nirmolia
- ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh 786001, Assam, India
| | | | - Saurav Jyoti Patgiri
- ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh 786001, Assam, India
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12
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Preimmunization correlates of protection shared across malaria vaccine trials in adults. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:5. [PMID: 35031601 PMCID: PMC8760258 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00425-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying preimmunization biological characteristics that promote an effective vaccine response offers opportunities for illuminating the critical immunological mechanisms that confer vaccine-induced protection, for developing adjuvant strategies, and for tailoring vaccination regimens to individuals or groups. In the context of malaria vaccine research, studying preimmunization correlates of protection can help address the need for a widely effective malaria vaccine, which remains elusive. In this study, common preimmunization correlates of protection were identified using transcriptomic data from four independent, heterogeneous malaria vaccine trials in adults. Systems-based analyses showed that a moderately elevated inflammatory state prior to immunization was associated with protection against malaria challenge. Functional profiling of protection-associated genes revealed the importance of several inflammatory pathways, including TLR signaling. These findings, which echo previous studies that associated enhanced preimmunization inflammation with protection, illuminate common baseline characteristics that set the stage for an effective vaccine response across diverse malaria vaccine strategies in adults.
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13
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Seaton KE, Spreng RL, Abraha M, Reichartz M, Rojas M, Feely F, Huntwork RHC, Dutta S, Mudrak SV, Alam SM, Gregory S, Jongert E, Coccia M, Ulloa-Montoya F, Wille-Reece U, Tomaras GD, Dennison SM. Subclass and avidity of circumsporozoite protein specific antibodies associate with protection status against malaria infection. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:110. [PMID: 34462438 PMCID: PMC8405700 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00372-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RTS,S/AS01 is an advanced pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine candidate with demonstrated vaccine efficacy up to 86.7% in controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) studies; however, reproducible immune correlates of protection (CoP) are elusive. To identify candidates of humoral correlates of vaccine mediated protection, we measured antibody magnitude, subclass, and avidity for Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) circumsporozoite protein (CSP) by multiplex assays in two CHMI studies with varying RTS,S/AS01B vaccine dose and timing regimens. Central repeat (NANP6) IgG1 magnitude correlated best with protection status in univariate analyses and was the most predictive for protection in a multivariate model. NANP6 IgG3 magnitude, CSP IgG1 magnitude, and total serum antibody dissociation phase area-under-the-curve for NANP6, CSP, NPNA3, and N-interface binding were also associated with protection status in the regimen adjusted univariate analysis. Identification of multiple immune response features that associate with protection status, such as antibody subclasses, fine specificity and avidity reported here may accelerate development of highly efficacious vaccines against P. falciparum.
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Grants
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- United States Department of Defense | United States Army | Army Medical Command | Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative
- GlaxoSmithKline (GlaxoSmithKline plc.)
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E Seaton
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Rachel L Spreng
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Milite Abraha
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Reichartz
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Frederick Feely
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Richard H C Huntwork
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Sarah V Mudrak
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S Munir Alam
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Pathology, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Scott Gregory
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ulrike Wille-Reece
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA
- GSK, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - S Moses Dennison
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA.
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14
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Mohanty A, Rajendran V. Mammalian host microRNA response to plasmodial infection: role as therapeutic target and potential biomarker. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3341-3353. [PMID: 34423387 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07293-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The appearance of increasing drug resistance in apicomplexan intracellular Plasmodium falciparum presents a significant challenge. P. falciparum infection results in cerebral malaria (CM), causing irreversible damage to the brain leading to high mortality cases. To enhance the clinical outcome of the disease, further research is required to identify new molecular targets involved in disease manifestations. Presently, the role of non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from different cells implicated in CM pathogenesis is still barely understood. Despite the absence of miRNA machinery in Plasmodium, host-parasite interactions can lead to disease severity or impart resistance to malaria. Cytoadherence and sequestration of parasitized RBCs dysregulate the miRNA profile of brain endothelial cells, leukocytes, monocytes, and platelets, disrupting blood-brain barrier integrity and activating inflammatory signaling pathways. The abundance of miRNA in blood plasma samples of CM patients directly correlates to cerebral symptoms compared to non-CM patients and healthy individuals. Moreover, the differential host-miRNA signatures distinguish P. falciparum from P. vivax infection. Here, we review the diverse functions of host-miRNA, either protective, pathogenic, or a combination of the two, which may act as prognostic markers and novel antimalarial drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinab Mohanty
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India
| | - Vinoth Rajendran
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
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15
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Manheim D, Wiȩcek W, Schmit V, Morrison J. Exploring Risks of Human Challenge Trials For COVID-19. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2021; 41:710-720. [PMID: 33942351 PMCID: PMC8207107 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Human challenge trials (HCTs) are a potential method to accelerate development of vaccines and therapeutics. However, HCTs for COVID-19 pose ethical and practical challenges, in part due to the unclear and developing risks. In this article , we introduce an interactive model for exploring some risks of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) dosing study, a prerequisite for any COVID-19 challenge trials. The risk estimates we use are based on a Bayesian evidence synthesis model which can incorporate new data on infection fatality risks (IFRs) to patients, and infer rates of hospitalization. The model estimates individual risk, which we then extrapolate to overall mortality and hospitalization risk in a dosing study. We provide a web tool to explore risk under different study designs. Based on the Bayesian model, IFR for someone between 20 and 30 years of age is 15.1 in 100,000, with a 95% uncertainty interval from 11.8 to 19.2, while risk of hospitalization is 130 per 100,000 (100-160). However, risk will be reduced in an HCT via screening for comorbidities, selecting lower-risk population, and providing treatment. Accounting for this with stronger assumptions, we project the fatality risk to be as low as 2.5 per 100,000 (1.6-3.9) and the hospitalization risk to be 22.0 per 100,000 (14.0-33.7). We therefore find a 50-person dosing trial has a 99.74% (99.8-99.9%) chance of no fatalities, and a 98.9% (98.3-99.3%) probability of no cases requiring hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Manheim
- 1DaySooner, Wilmington, DE, USA
- Health and Risk Communication Research Center, University of Haifa, School of Public Health, Haifa, Israel
| | - Witold Wiȩcek
- 1DaySooner, Wilmington, DE, USA
- WAW Statistical Consulting Ltd., UK
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16
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Digitale JC, Callaway PC, Martin M, Nelson G, Viard M, Rek J, Arinaitwe E, Dorsey G, Kamya M, Carrington M, Rodriguez-Barraquer I, Feeney ME. HLA Alleles B *53:01 and C *06:02 Are Associated With Higher Risk of P. falciparum Parasitemia in a Cohort in Uganda. Front Immunol 2021; 12:650028. [PMID: 33815410 PMCID: PMC8017319 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.650028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation within the HLA locus been shown to play an important role in the susceptibility to and outcomes of numerous infections, but its influence on immunity to P. falciparum malaria is unclear. Increasing evidence indicates that acquired immunity to P. falciparum is mediated in part by the cellular immune response, including NK cells, CD4 and CD8 T cells, and semi-invariant γδ T cells. HLA molecules expressed by these lymphocytes influence the epitopes recognized by P. falciparum-specific T cells, and class I HLA molecules also serve as ligands for inhibitory receptors including KIR. Here we assessed the relationship of HLA class I and II alleles to the risk of P. falciparum infection and symptomatic malaria in a cohort of 892 Ugandan children and adults followed prospectively via both active and passive surveillance. We identified two HLA class I alleles, HLA-B*53:01 and HLA-C*06:02, that were associated with a higher prevalence of P. falciparum infection. Notably, no class I or II HLA alleles were found to be associated with protection from P. falciparum parasitemia or symptomatic malaria. These findings suggest that class I HLA plays a role in the ability to restrict parasitemia, supporting an essential role for the cellular immune response in P. falciparum immunity. Our findings underscore the need for better tools to enable mechanistic studies of the T cell response to P. falciparum at the epitope level and suggest that further study of the role of HLA in regulating pre-erythrocytic stages of the P. falciparum life cycle is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean C. Digitale
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Perri C. Callaway
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Infectious Disease and Immunity Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Maureen Martin
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - George Nelson
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Mathias Viard
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - John Rek
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Emmanuel Arinaitwe
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Grant Dorsey
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Moses Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mary Carrington
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Ragon Institute of MGH MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Margaret E. Feeney
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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17
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Abstract
Introduction: An effective vaccine against malaria forms a global health priority. Both naturally acquired immunity and sterile protection induced by irradiated sporozoite immunization were described decades ago. Still no vaccine exists that sufficiently protects children in endemic areas. Identifying immunological correlates of vaccine efficacy can inform rational vaccine design and potentially accelerate clinical development.Areas covered: We discuss recent research on immunological correlates of malaria vaccine efficacy, including: insights from state-of-the-art omics platforms and systems vaccinology analyses; functional anti-parasitic assays; pre-immunization predictors of vaccine efficacy; and comparison of correlates of vaccine efficacy against controlled human malaria infections (CHMI) and against naturally acquired infections.Expert Opinion: Effective vaccination may be achievable without necessarily understanding immunological correlates, but the relatively disappointing efficacy of malaria vaccine candidates in target populations is concerning. Hypothesis-generating omics and systems vaccinology analyses, alongside assessment of pre-immunization correlates, have the potential to bring about paradigm-shifts in malaria vaccinology. Functional assays may represent in vivo effector mechanisms, but have scarcely been formally assessed as correlates. Crucially, evidence is still meager that correlates of vaccine efficacy against CHMI correspond with those against naturally acquired infections in target populations. Finally, the diversity of immunological assays and efficacy endpoints across malaria vaccine trials remains a major confounder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew B B McCall
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
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18
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Oyarzun P, Kashyap M, Fica V, Salas-Burgos A, Gonzalez-Galarza FF, McCabe A, Jones AR, Middleton D, Kobe B. A Proteome-Wide Immunoinformatics Tool to Accelerate T-Cell Epitope Discovery and Vaccine Design in the Context of Emerging Infectious Diseases: An Ethnicity-Oriented Approach. Front Immunol 2021; 12:598778. [PMID: 33717077 PMCID: PMC7952308 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.598778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) caused by viruses are increasing in frequency, causing a high disease burden and mortality world-wide. The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel SARS-like coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) underscores the need to innovate and accelerate the development of effective vaccination strategies against EIDs. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules play a central role in the immune system by determining the peptide repertoire displayed to the T-cell compartment. Genetic polymorphisms of the HLA system thus confer a strong variability in vaccine-induced immune responses and may complicate the selection of vaccine candidates, because the distribution and frequencies of HLA alleles are highly variable among different ethnic groups. Herein, we build on the emerging paradigm of rational epitope-based vaccine design, by describing an immunoinformatics tool (Predivac-3.0) for proteome-wide T-cell epitope discovery that accounts for ethnic-level variations in immune responsiveness. Predivac-3.0 implements both CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell epitope predictions based on HLA allele frequencies retrieved from the Allele Frequency Net Database. The tool was thoroughly assessed, proving comparable performances (AUC ~0.9) against four state-of-the-art pan-specific immunoinformatics methods capable of population-level analysis (NetMHCPan-4.0, Pickpocket, PSSMHCPan and SMM), as well as a strong accuracy on proteome-wide T-cell epitope predictions for HIV-specific immune responses in the Japanese population. The utility of the method was investigated for the COVID-19 pandemic, by performing in silico T-cell epitope mapping of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein according to the ethnic context of the countries where the ChAdOx1 vaccine is currently initiating phase III clinical trials. Potentially immunodominant CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell epitopes and population coverages were predicted for each population (the Epitope Discovery mode), along with optimized sets of broadly recognized (promiscuous) T-cell epitopes maximizing coverage in the target populations (the Epitope Optimization mode). Population-specific epitope-rich regions (T-cell epitope clusters) were further predicted in protein antigens based on combined criteria of epitope density and population coverage. Overall, we conclude that Predivac-3.0 holds potential to contribute in the understanding of ethnic-level variations of vaccine-induced immune responsiveness and to guide the development of epitope-based next-generation vaccines against emerging pathogens, whose geographic distributions and populations in need of vaccinations are often well-defined for regional epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio Oyarzun
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Manju Kashyap
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Victor Fica
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | | | - Faviel F Gonzalez-Galarza
- Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Torreon, Mexico
| | - Antony McCabe
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R Jones
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Derek Middleton
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Bostjan Kobe
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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19
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Bell GJ, Agnandji ST, Asante KP, Ghansah A, Kamthunzi P, Emch M, Bailey JA. Impacts of Ecology, Parasite Antigenic Variation, and Human Genetics on RTS,S/AS01e Malaria Vaccine Efficacy. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2021; 8:79-88. [PMID: 34367877 PMCID: PMC8324449 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-021-00271-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Global malaria elimination has little chance of success without an effective vaccine. The first malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01e, demonstrated moderate efficacy against clinical malaria in phase III trials and is undergoing large-scale effectiveness trials in Africa. Importantly, the vaccine did not perform equally well between phase III study sites. Though reasons for the moderate efficacy and this variation are unclear, various mechanisms have been suggested. This review summarizes the recent literature on such mechanisms, with a focus on those involving landscape ecology, parasite antigenic variation, and human host genetic differences. RECENT FINDINGS Transmission intensity may have a role pre- and post-vaccination in modulating immune responses to the vaccine. Furthermore, malaria incidence may "rebound" in vaccinated populations living in high transmission intensity settings. There is growing evidence that both genetic variation in the parasite circumsporozoite protein and variation of human host genetic factors affect RTS,S vaccine efficacy. These genetic factors may be interacting in complex ways to produce variation in the natural and vaccine-induced immune responses that protect against malaria. SUMMARY Due to the modest efficacy of RTS,S/AS01e, the combinations of factors (ecological, parasite, human host) impacting its effectiveness must be clearly understood, as this information will be critical for implementation policy and future vaccine designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin J. Bell
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Selidji Todagbe Agnandji
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon ,Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Anita Ghansah
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Michael Emch
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA ,Department of Geography, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 220 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, 55 Claverick St, Rm 314B, Providence, RI 02912 USA
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20
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Suau R, Vidal M, Aguilar R, Ruiz-Olalla G, Vázquez-Santiago M, Jairoce C, Nhabomba AJ, Gyan B, Dosoo D, Asante KP, Owusu-Agyei S, Campo JJ, Izquierdo L, Cavanagh D, Coppel RL, Chauhan V, Angov E, Dutta S, Gaur D, Beeson JG, Moncunill G, Dobaño C. RTS,S/AS01 E malaria vaccine induces IgA responses against CSP and vaccine-unrelated antigens in African children in the phase 3 trial. Vaccine 2020; 39:687-698. [PMID: 33358704 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.12.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evaluation of immune responses to RTS,S/AS01 has traditionally focused on immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies that are only moderately associated with protection. The role of other antibody isotypes that could also contribute to vaccine efficacy remains unclear. Here we investigated whether RTS,S/AS01E elicits antigen-specific serum IgA antibodies to the vaccine and other malaria antigens, and we explored their association with protection. METHODS Ninety-five children (age 5-17 months old at first vaccination) from the RTS,S/AS01E phase 3 clinical trial who received 3 doses of RTS,S/AS01E or a comparator vaccine were selected for IgA quantification 1 month post primary immunization. Two sites with different malaria transmission intensities (MTI) and clinical malaria cases and controls, were included. Measurements of IgA against different constructs of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) vaccine antigen and 16 vaccine-unrelated Plasmodium falciparum antigens were performed using a quantitative suspension array assay. RESULTS RTS,S vaccination induced a 1.2 to 2-fold increase in levels of serum/plasma IgA antibodies to all CSP constructs, which was not observed upon immunization with a comparator vaccine. The IgA response against 13 out of 16 vaccine-unrelated P. falciparum antigens also increased after vaccination, and levels were higher in recipients of RTS,S than in comparators. IgA levels to malaria antigens before vaccination were more elevated in the high MTI than the low MTI site. No statistically significant association of IgA with protection was found in exploratory analyses. CONCLUSIONS RTS,S/AS01E induces IgA responses in peripheral blood against CSP vaccine antigens and other P. falciparum vaccine-unrelated antigens, similar to what we previously showed for IgG responses. Collectively, data warrant further investigation of the potential contribution of vaccine-induced IgA responses to efficacy and any possible interplay, either synergistic or antagonistic, with protective IgG, as identifying mediators of protection by RTS,S/AS01E immunization is necessary for the design of improved second-generation vaccines. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT008666191.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Suau
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Marta Vidal
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Ruth Aguilar
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Gemma Ruiz-Olalla
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Miquel Vázquez-Santiago
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Chenjerai Jairoce
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Rua 12, Cambeve, Vila de Manhiça, CP 1929 Maputo, Mozambique.
| | - Augusto J Nhabomba
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Rua 12, Cambeve, Vila de Manhiça, CP 1929 Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Ben Gyan
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Ghana.
| | - David Dosoo
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana.
| | | | - Seth Owusu-Agyei
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana; Disease Control Department. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Joseph J Campo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Luis Izquierdo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - David Cavanagh
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research and Centre for Immunity, Infection & Evolution, Ashworth Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Ross L Coppel
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Virander Chauhan
- Malaria Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India
| | - Evelina Angov
- U.S. Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- U.S. Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Deepak Gaur
- Malaria Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India; Laboratory of Malaria and Vaccine Research, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Gemma Moncunill
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Rua 12, Cambeve, Vila de Manhiça, CP 1929 Maputo, Mozambique.
| | - Carlota Dobaño
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Rosselló 153 CEK Building, E-08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Rua 12, Cambeve, Vila de Manhiça, CP 1929 Maputo, Mozambique.
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Skwarczynski M, Chandrudu S, Rigau-Planella B, Islam MT, Cheong YS, Liu G, Wang X, Toth I, Hussein WM. Progress in the Development of Subunit Vaccines against Malaria. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030373. [PMID: 32664421 PMCID: PMC7563759 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening disease and one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the human population. The disease also results in a major socio-economic burden. The rapid spread of malaria epidemics in developing countries is exacerbated by the rise in drug-resistant parasites and insecticide-resistant mosquitoes. At present, malaria research is focused mainly on the development of drugs with increased therapeutic effects against Plasmodium parasites. However, a vaccine against the disease is preferable over treatment to achieve long-term control. Trials to develop a safe and effective immunization protocol for the control of malaria have been occurring for decades, and continue on today; still, no effective vaccines are available on the market. Recently, peptide-based vaccines have become an attractive alternative approach. These vaccines utilize short protein fragments to induce immune responses against malaria parasites. Peptide-based vaccines are safer than traditional vaccines, relatively inexpensive to produce, and can be composed of multiple T- and B-cell epitopes integrated into one antigenic formulation. Various combinations, based on antigen choice, peptide epitope modification and delivery mechanism, have resulted in numerous potential malaria vaccines candidates; these are presently being studied in both preclinical and clinical trials. This review describes the current landscape of peptide-based vaccines, and addresses obstacles and opportunities in the production of malaria vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Skwarczynski
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Saranya Chandrudu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Berta Rigau-Planella
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Md. Tanjir Islam
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Yee S. Cheong
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Genan Liu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Xiumin Wang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
- Gene Engineering Laboratory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Istvan Toth
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Correspondence: (I.T.); (W.M.H.)
| | - Waleed M. Hussein
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (S.C.); (B.R.-P.); (M.T.I.); (Y.S.C.); (G.L.); (X.W.)
- Correspondence: (I.T.); (W.M.H.)
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22
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Yenkoidiok-Douti L, Jewell CM. Integrating Biomaterials and Immunology to Improve Vaccines Against Infectious Diseases. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:759-778. [PMID: 33313391 PMCID: PMC7725244 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite the success of vaccines in preventing many infectious diseases, effective vaccines against pathogens with ongoing challenges - such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis - remain unavailable. The emergence of new pathogen variants, the continued prevalence of existing pathogens, and the resurgence of yet other infectious agents motivate the need for new, interdisciplinary approaches to direct immune responses. Many current and candidate vaccines, for example, are poorly immunogenic, provide only transient protection, or create risks of regaining pathogenicity in certain immune-compromised conditions. Recent advances in biomaterials research are creating new potential to overcome these challenges through improved formulation, delivery, and control of immune signaling. At the same time, many of these materials systems - such as polymers, lipids, and self-assembly technologies - may achieve this goal while maintaining favorable safety profiles. This review highlights ways in which biomaterials can advance existing vaccines to safer, more efficacious technologies, and support new vaccines for pathogens that do not yet have vaccines. Biomaterials that have not yet been applied to vaccines for infectious disease are also discussed, and their potential in this area is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lampouguin Yenkoidiok-Douti
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 8278 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, United States
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, United States
| | - Christopher M. Jewell
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 8278 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, 10. N Green Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, 8278 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD 20742, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Medical School, 685 West Baltimore Street, HSF-I Suite 380, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, 22 S. Greene Street, Suite N9E17, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
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23
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Martin ML, Bitzer AA, Schrader A, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Soto K, Zou X, Beck Z, Matyas GR, Dutta S. Comparison of immunogenicity and safety outcomes of a malaria vaccine FMP013/ALFQ in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Indian and Chinese origin. Malar J 2019; 18:377. [PMID: 31775762 PMCID: PMC6880475 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-3014-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Indian-origin rhesus (InR) are preferred for research, but strict export restrictions continue to limit their use. Chinese-origin rhesus (ChR), although easier to procure, are genetically distinct from InR and differ in their immune response to infectious agents, such as the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. The most advanced malaria vaccine, RTS,S (GlaxoSmithKline), is based on the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum. The efficacy of RTS,S vaccine in the field remains low and short-lived; efforts are underway to improve CSP-based vaccines. Rhesus models can accelerate preclinical down-selection of the next generation of malaria vaccines. This study was used to determine if the safety and immunogenicity outcomes following vaccination with a CSP vaccine would differ in the InR and ChR models, given the genetic differences between the two sub-populations of rhesus. Methods The FMP013 vaccine, was composed of nearly full-length soluble P. falciparum CSP produced in Escherichia coli and was adjuvanted with the Army liposomal formulation (ALFQ). Three doses of the vaccine were administered in InR and ChR (n = 6) at 1-month intervals and the antibody and T cell responses were assessed. Results Local and systemic toxicity profile of FMP013 vaccine in InR and ChR were similar and they revealed that the FMP013 vaccine was safe and caused only mild and transient inflammatory adverse reactions. Following the first 2 vaccines, there was a slower acquisition of antibodies to the CSP repeat region in ChR. However after the 3rd vaccination the titers in the two models were comparable. The ChR group repeat-specific antibodies had higher avidity and ChR group showed higher inhibition of liver stage development activity compared to InR. There was no difference in T-cell responses to the FMP013 vaccine between the two models. Conclusions A difference in the quality of serological responses was detected between the two sub-populations of rhesus. However, both models confirmed that FMP013/ALFQ vaccine was safe, highly immunogenic, elicited functional antibodies and T-cell responses. Overall, the data suggests that rhesus of Indian and Chinese origins can be interchangeably used to compare the safety and immunogenicity of next-generation of malaria vaccines and adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L Martin
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Alexis A Bitzer
- Structural Biologics Laboratory, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Andrew Schrader
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Elke S Bergmann-Leitner
- Immunology Core, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Kim Soto
- Structural Biologics Laboratory, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Zou
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Zoltan Beck
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Gary R Matyas
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Structural Biologics Laboratory, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
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24
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Loiseau C, Cooper MM, Doolan DL. Deciphering host immunity to malaria using systems immunology. Immunol Rev 2019; 293:115-143. [PMID: 31608461 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A century of conceptual and technological advances in infectious disease research has changed the face of medicine. However, there remains a lack of effective interventions and a poor understanding of host immunity to the most significant and complex pathogens, including malaria. The development of successful interventions against such intractable diseases requires a comprehensive understanding of host-pathogen immune responses. A major advance of the past decade has been a paradigm switch in thinking from the contemporary reductionist (gene-by-gene or protein-by-protein) view to a more holistic (whole organism) view. Also, a recognition that host-pathogen immunity is composed of complex, dynamic interactions of cellular and molecular components and networks that cannot be represented by any individual component in isolation. Systems immunology integrates the field of immunology with omics technologies and computational sciences to comprehensively interrogate the immune response at a systems level. Herein, we describe the system immunology toolkit and report recent studies deploying systems-level approaches in the context of natural exposure to malaria or controlled human malaria infection. We contribute our perspective on the potential of systems immunity for the rational design and development of effective interventions to improve global public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Loiseau
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Martha M Cooper
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Denise L Doolan
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
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25
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Williamson ED, Westlake GE. Vaccines for emerging pathogens: prospects for licensure. Clin Exp Immunol 2019; 198:170-183. [PMID: 30972733 PMCID: PMC6797873 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, there are a number of emerging pathogens. For most, there are no licensed vaccines available for human use, although there is ongoing research and development. However, given the extensive and increasing list of emerging pathogens and the investment required to bring vaccines into clinical use, the task is huge. Overlaid on this task is the risk of anti‐microbial resistance (AMR) acquisition by micro‐organisms which can endow a relatively harmless organism with pathogenic potential. Furthermore, climate change also introduces a challenge by causing some of the insect vectors and environmental conditions prevalent in tropical regions to begin to spread out from these traditional areas, thus increasing the risk of migration of zoonotic disease. Vaccination provides a defence against these emerging pathogens. However, vaccines for pathogens which cause severe, but occasional, disease outbreaks in endemic pockets have suffered from a lack of commercial incentive for development to a clinical standard, encompassing Phase III clinical trials for efficacy. An alternative is to develop such vaccines to request US Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), or equivalent status in the United States, Canada and the European Union, making use of a considerable number of regulatory mechanisms that are available prior to licensing. This review covers the status of vaccine development for some of the emerging pathogens, the hurdles that need to be overcome to achieve EUA or an equivalent regional or national status and how these considerations may impact vaccine development for the future, such that a more comprehensive stockpile of promising vaccines can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D Williamson
- CBR Division, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
| | - G E Westlake
- CBR Division, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
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26
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Klijn ME, Vormittag P, Bluthardt N, Hubbuch J. High-throughput computational pipeline for 3-D structure preparation and in silico protein surface property screening: A case study on HBcAg dimer structures. Int J Pharm 2019; 563:337-346. [PMID: 30935914 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2019.03.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge-based experimental design can aid biopharmaceutical high-throughput screening (HTS) experiments needed to identify critical manufacturability parameters. Prior knowledge can be obtained via computational methods such as protein property extraction from 3-D protein structures. This study presents a high-throughput 3-D structure preparation and refinement pipeline that supports structure screenings with an automated and data-dependent workflow. As a case study, three chimeric virus-like particle (VLP) building blocks, hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) dimers, were constructed. Molecular dynamics (MD) refinement quality, speed, stability, and correlation to zeta potential data was evaluated using different MD simulation settings. Settings included 2 force fields (YASARA2 and AMBER03) and 2 pKa computation methods (YASARA and H++). MD simulations contained a data-dependent termination via identification of a 2 ns Window of Stability, which was also used for robust descriptor extraction. MD simulation with YASARA2, independent of pKa computation method, was found to be most stable and computationally efficient. These settings resulted in a fast refinement (6.6-37.5 h), a good structure quality (-1.17--1.13) and a strong linear dependence between dimer surface charge and complete chimeric HBcAg VLP zeta potential. These results indicate the computational pipeline's applicability for early-stage candidate assessment and design optimization of HTS manufacturability or formulability experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke E Klijn
- Institute of Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Vormittag
- Institute of Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
| | - Nicolai Bluthardt
- Institute of Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hubbuch
- Institute of Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.
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27
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Yao Y, Yang H, Shi L, Liu S, Li C, Chen J, Zhou Z, Sun M, Shi L. HLA Class II Genes HLA-DRB1, HLA-DPB1, and HLA-DQB1 Are Associated With the Antibody Response to Inactivated Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine. Front Immunol 2019; 10:428. [PMID: 30906300 PMCID: PMC6418001 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genes HLA-DRB1, HLA-DPB1, and HLA-DQB1 with the humoral immune response elicited by inactivated Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine (IJEV). Methods: A total of 373 individuals aged 3–12 years in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China, who received two doses of IJEV at 0 and 7 days, were enrolled in the current study. Based on the individuals' specific JE virus (JEV)-neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), they were divided into a seropositive and a seronegative group. HLA-DRB1, HLA-DPB1, and HLA-DQB1 were genotyped using a sequencing-based typing method. Next, the association of the HLA class II genes and their haplotypes with antibody response was evaluated. Results: Based on NAbs, a total of 161 individuals were classified as seropositive and 212 as seronegative. DQB1*02:01 was significantly associated with JEV seropositivity (P < 0.001, OR = 0.364, 95% CI: 0.221–0.600), while DQB1*02:02 was significantly associated with JEV seronegativity (P = 5.03 × 10−6, OR = 7.341, 95% CI: 2.876–18.736). The haplotypes DRB1*07:01-DPB1*04:01-DQB1*02:01, DRB1*15:01-DPB1*02:01-DQB1*06:02, DRB1*07:01-DQB1*02:01, and DPB1*02:01-DQB1*06:02 were very frequent in the seropositive group, while DRB1*07:01-DPB1*17:01-DQB1*02:02, DRB1*07:01-DQB1*02:02, and DPB1*17:01-DQB1*02:02 were very frequent in the seronegative group. The presence of DRB1*01:01, DRB1*04:05, DRB1*09:01, DRB1*12:02, DRB1*13:02, and DRB1*14:01 was associated with a higher geometric mean titer (GMT) of NAbs than that of DRB1*11:01 at the DRB1 locus (P < 0.05). At the DPB1 locus, the presence of DPB1*05:01 was associated with higher GMTs than that of DPB1*02:01 and DPB1*13:01 (P < 0.05), and the presence of DPB1*04:01 and DPB1*09:01 was associated with higher GMTs than that of DPB1*13:01 (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The present study suggests that HLA class II genes may influence the antibody response to IJEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Yao
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
| | - Huijuan Yang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Shuyuan Liu
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
| | - Chuanying Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
| | - Ziyun Zhou
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
| | - Mingbo Sun
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Li Shi
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
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Dhiman S. Are malaria elimination efforts on right track? An analysis of gains achieved and challenges ahead. Infect Dis Poverty 2019; 8:14. [PMID: 30760324 PMCID: PMC6375178 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-019-0524-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria causes significant morbidity and mortality each year. In the past few years, the global malaria cases have been declining and many endemic countries are heading towards malaria elimination. Nevertheless, reducing the number of cases seems to be easy than sustained elimination. Therefore to achieve the objective of complete elimination and maintaining the elimination status, it is necessary to assess the gains made during the recent years. Main text With inclining global support and World Health Organisation (WHO) efforts, the control programmes have been implemented effectively in many endemic countries. Given the aroused interest and investments into malaria elimination programmes at global level, the ambitious goal of elimination appears feasible. Sustainable interventions have played a pivotal role in malaria contraction, however drug and insecticide resistance, social, demographic, cultural and behavioural beliefs and practices, and unreformed health infrastructure could drift back the progress attained so far. Ignoring such impeding factors coupled with certain region specific factors may jeopardise our ability to abide righteous track to achieve global elimination of malaria parasite. Although support beyond the territories is important, but well managed integrated vector management approach at regional and country level using scrupulously selected area specific interventions targeting both vector and parasite along with the community involvement is necessary. A brief incline in malaria during 2016 has raised fresh perturbation on whether elimination could be achieved on time or not. Conclusions The intervention tools available currently can most likely reduce transmission but clearing of malaria epicentres from where the disease can flare up any time, is not possible without involving local population. Nevertheless maintaining zero malaria transmission and checks on malaria import in declared malaria free countries, and further speeding up of interventions to stop transmission in elimination countries is most desirable. Strong collaboration backed by adequate political and financial support among the countries with a common objective to eliminate malaria must be on top priority. The present review attempts to assess the progress gained in malaria elimination during the past few years and highlights some issues that could be important in successful malaria elimination. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40249-019-0524-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Dhiman
- Vector Management Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, 474002, India.
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29
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Ghoshal S, Gajendra P, Datta Kanjilal S, Mitra M, Sengupta S. Diversity analysis of MSP1 identifies conserved epitope organization in block 2 amidst high sequence variability in Indian Plasmodium falciparum isolates. Malar J 2018; 17:447. [PMID: 30509263 PMCID: PMC6276175 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2592-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite its immunogenicity, the polymorphic nature of merozoite surface protein 1, an important vaccine candidate for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, remains a concern. This study analyses the impact of genetic variability and parasite population structure on epitope organization of different MSP1 segments. Methods Altogether 98 blood samples collected from P. falciparum infected mild and severe malaria patients of Chhattisgarh and West Bengal were used to sequence regions encoding block 2 and MSP1-19 of msp1. Sequences were analysed using MEGA7, DnaSPv5, Arlequin3.5 and BepiPred. Results All three major MSP1 block 2 allele families namely K1, MAD20 and RO33 were detected in the samples and they together resulted in 41 indel variants. Chhattisgarh samples displayed an average MOI of 2.07 ± 1.59 which was higher in mild malaria and in age group < 18 years. Ultra-structure of block 2 alleles revealed that mutation and repeat expansion were two major mechanisms responsible for allelic variability of K1 and MAD20. Regions flanking block 2 were highly variable in Chhattisgarh with average mismatch differences (k) ranging from 1.198 to 5.156 for three families. In contrast, region encompassing MSP1-19 exhibited limited heterogeneity (kChhattisgarh = 1.45, kWest Bengal = 1.363). Of the 50 possible B cell linear epitopes predicted from block 2 variants, 94.9% (131 of 138) of the parasites could be represented by three conserved antigens. Conclusions Present data indicates that natural selection and transmission intensity jointly play a role in controlling allelic diversity of MSP1 in Indian parasite isolates. Despite remarkable genetic variability, a limited number of predominant and conserved epitopes are present in Indian parasite isolates reinstating the importance of MSP1 as a promising malaria vaccine candidate. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2592-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharmistha Ghoshal
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700 019, India
| | - Pragya Gajendra
- School of Studies in Anthropology, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492010, India
| | - Sumana Datta Kanjilal
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Mitashree Mitra
- School of Studies in Anthropology, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492010, India
| | - Sanghamitra Sengupta
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700 019, India.
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McCall MBB, Kremsner PG, Mordmüller B. Correlating efficacy and immunogenicity in malaria vaccine trials. Semin Immunol 2018; 39:52-64. [PMID: 30219621 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The availability of an effective and appropriately implemented malaria vaccine would form a crucial cornerstone of public health efforts to fight this disease. Despite many decades of research, however, no malaria vaccine has yet shown satisfactory protective efficacy or been rolled-out. Validated immunological substitute endpoints have the potential to accelerate clinical vaccine development by reducing the required complexity, size, duration and cost of clinical trials. Besides facilitating clinical development of existing vaccine candidates, understanding immunological mechanisms of protection may drive the development of fundamentally new vaccination approaches. In this review we focus on correlates of protection in malaria vaccine development: Does immunogenicity predict malaria vaccine efficacy and why is this question particularly difficult? Have immunological correlates accelerated malaria vaccine development in the past and will they facilitate it in the future? Does Controlled Human Malaria Infection represent a valid model for identifying such immunological correlates, or a correlate of protection against naturally-acquired malaria in itself?
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B B McCall
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen and Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Germany; Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
| | - Peter G Kremsner
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen and Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Germany; Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - Benjamin Mordmüller
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen and Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Germany; Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
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