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Balam S, Miura K, Ayadi I, Konaté D, Incandela NC, Agnolon V, Guindo MA, Diakité SA, Olugbile S, Nebie I, Herrera SM, Long C, Kajava AV, Diakité M, Corradin G, Herrera S, Herrera MA. Cross-reactivity of r Pvs48/45, a recombinant Plasmodium vivax protein, with sera from Plasmodium falciparum endemic areas of Africa. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.10.588966. [PMID: 38659832 PMCID: PMC11042229 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.10.588966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Background Ps48/45, a Plasmodium gametocyte surface protein, is a promising candidate for malaria transmission-blocking (TB) vaccine. Due to its relevance for a multispecies vaccine, we explored the cross-reactivity and TB activity of a recombinant P. vivax Ps48/45 protein (rPvs48/45) with sera from P. falciparum-exposed African donors. Methods rPvs48/45 was produced in Chinese hamster ovary cell lines and tested by ELISA for its cross-reactivity with sera from Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Mali, and Nigeria - In addition, BALB/c mice were immunized with the rPvs48/45 protein formulated in Montanide ISA-51 and inoculated with a crude extract of P. falciparum NF-54 gametocytes to evaluate the parasite-boosting effect on rPvs48/45 antibody titers. Specific anti-rPvs48/45 IgG purified from African sera was used to evaluate the ex vivo TB activity on P. falciparum, using standard mosquito membrane feeding assays (SMFA). Results rPvs48/45 protein showed cross-reactivity with sera of individuals from all four African countries, in proportions ranging from 94% (Tanzania) to 40% (Nigeria). Also, the level of cross-reactive antibodies varied significantly between countries (p<0.0001), with a higher antibody level in Mali and the lowest in Nigeria. In addition, antibody levels were higher in adults (≥ 17 years) than young children (≤ 5 years) in both Mali and Tanzania, with a higher proportion of responders in adults (90%) than in children (61%) (p<0.0001) in Mali, where male (75%) and female (80%) displayed similar antibody responses. Furthermore, immunization of mice with P. falciparum gametocytes boosted anti-Pvs48/45 antibody responses, recognizing P. falciparum gametocytes in indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. Notably, rPvs48/45 affinity-purified African IgG exhibited a TB activity of 61% against P. falciparum in SMFA. Conclusion African sera (exposed only to P. falciparum) cross-recognized the rPvs48/45 protein. This, together with the functional activity of IgG, warrants further studies for the potential development of a P. vivax and P. falciparum cross-protective TB vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saidou Balam
- International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER-Mali), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Imen Ayadi
- Immunobiology Department, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Drissa Konaté
- International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER-Mali), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Valentina Agnolon
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland aaaa
| | - Merepen A Guindo
- International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER-Mali), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | - Seidina A.S. Diakité
- International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER-Mali), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | - Sope Olugbile
- Immunobiology Department, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Issa Nebie
- Groupe de Recherche Action Santé (GRAS), Burkina Faso, West Africa
| | | | - Carole Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Andrey V. Kajava
- Montpellier Cell Biology Research Center (CRBM), University of Montpellier, CNRS, France
| | - Mahamadou Diakité
- International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER-Mali), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Socrates Herrera
- Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia
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2
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Moita D, Maia TG, Duarte M, Andrade CM, Albuquerque IS, Dwivedi A, Silva JC, González-Céron L, Janse CJ, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. A genetically modified Plasmodium berghei parasite as a surrogate for whole-sporozoite vaccination against P. vivax malaria. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:163. [PMID: 36526627 PMCID: PMC9755804 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00585-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Two malaria parasite species, Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) are responsible for most of the disease burden caused by malaria. Vaccine development against this disease has focused mainly on Pf. Whole-sporozoite (WSp) vaccination, targeting pre-erythrocytic (PE) parasite stages, is a promising strategy for immunization against malaria and several PfWSp-based vaccine candidates are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. In contrast, no WSp candidates have been developed for Pv, mainly due to constraints in the production of Pv sporozoites in the laboratory. Recently, we developed a novel approach for WSp vaccination against Pf based on the use of transgenic rodent P. berghei (Pb) sporozoites expressing immunogens of this human-infective parasite. We showed that this platform can be used to deliver PE Pf antigens, eliciting both targeted humoral responses and cross-species cellular immune responses against Pf. Here we explored this WSp platform for the delivery of Pv antigens. As the Pv circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is a leading vaccine candidate antigen, we generated a transgenic Pb parasite, PbviVac, that, in addition to its endogenous PbCSP, expresses PvCSP under the control of a strictly PE promoter. Immunofluorescence microscopy analyses confirmed that both the PbCSP and the PvCSP antigens are expressed in PbviVac sporozoites and liver stages and that PbviVac sporozoite infectivity of hepatic cells is similar to that of its wild-type Pb counterpart. Immunization of mice with PbviVac sporozoites elicits the production of anti-PvCSP antibodies that efficiently recognize and bind to Pv sporozoites. Our results warrant further development and evaluation of PbviVac as a surrogate for WSp vaccination against Pv malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa G Maia
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Duarte
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carolina M Andrade
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Inês S Albuquerque
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ankit Dwivedi
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joana C Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lilia González-Céron
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
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A Multistage Formulation Based on Full-Length CSP and AMA-1 Ectodomain of Plasmodium vivax Induces High Antibody Titers and T-cells and Partially Protects Mice Challenged with a Transgenic Plasmodium berghei Parasite. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8060916. [PMID: 32560380 PMCID: PMC7356588 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections with Plasmodium vivax are predominant in the Americas, representing 75% of malaria cases. Previously perceived as benign, malaria vivax is, in fact, a highly debilitating and economically important disease. Considering the high complexity of the malaria parasite life cycle, it has been hypothesized that an effective vaccine formulation against Plasmodium should contain multiple antigens expressed in different parasite stages. Based on that, we analyzed a recombinant P. vivax vaccine formulation mixing the apical membrane antigen 1 ectodomain (PvAMA-1) and a full-length circumsporozoite protein (PvCSP-AllFL) previously studied by our group, which elicits a potent antibody response in mice. Genetically distinct strains of mice (C57BL/6 and BALB/c) were immunized with the proteins, alone or in combination, in the presence of poly(I:C) adjuvant, a TLR3 agonist. In C57BL/6, high-antibody titers were induced against PvAMA-1 and the three PvCSP variants (VK210, VK247, and P. vivax-like). Meanwhile, mixing PvAMA-1 with PvCSP-AllFL had no impact on total IgG antibody titers, which were long-lasting. Moreover, antibodies from immunized mice recognized VK210 sporozoites and blood-stage parasites by immunofluorescence assay. However, in the BALB/c model, the antibody response against PvCSP-AllFL was relatively low. PvAMA-1-specific CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T-cell responses were observed in C57BL/6 mice, and the cellular response was impaired by PvCSP-AllFL combination. More relevant, the multistage vaccine formulation provided partial protection in mice challenged with a transgenic Plasmodium berghei sporozoite expressing the homologous PvCSP protein.
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4
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Mitran CJ, Yanow SK. The Case for Exploiting Cross-Species Epitopes in Malaria Vaccine Design. Front Immunol 2020; 11:335. [PMID: 32174924 PMCID: PMC7056716 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The infection dynamics between different species of Plasmodium that infect the same human host can both suppress and exacerbate disease. This could arise from inter-parasite interactions, such as competition, from immune regulation, or both. The occurrence of protective, cross-species (heterologous) immunity is an unlikely event, especially considering that strain-transcending immunity within a species is only partial despite lifelong exposure to that species. Here we review the literature in humans and animal models to identify the contexts where heterologous immunity can arise, and which antigens may be involved. From the perspective of vaccine design, understanding the mechanisms by which exposure to an antigen from one species can elicit a protective response to another species offers an alternative strategy to conventional approaches that focus on immunodominant antigens within a single species. The underlying hypothesis is that certain epitopes are conserved across evolution, in sequence or in structure, and shared in antigens from different species. Vaccines that focus on conserved epitopes may overcome the challenges posed by polymorphic immunodominant antigens; but to uncover these epitopes requires approaches that consider the evolutionary history of protein families across species. The key question for vaccinologists will be whether vaccines that express these epitopes can elicit immune responses that are functional and contribute to protection against Plasmodium parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephanie K. Yanow
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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5
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Muh F, Ahmed MA, Han JH, Nyunt MH, Lee SK, Lau YL, Kaneko O, Han ET. Cross-species analysis of apical asparagine-rich protein of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5781. [PMID: 29636493 PMCID: PMC5893618 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23728-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum apical asparagine (Asn)-rich protein (AARP) is one of malarial proteins, and it has been studied as a candidate of malaria subunit vaccine. Basic characterization of PvAARP has been performed with a focus on its immunogenicity and localization. In this study, we further analyzed the immunogenicity of PvAARP, focusing on the longevity of the antibody response, cross-species immunity and invasion inhibitory activity by using the primate malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi. We found that vivax malaria patient sera retained anti-PvAARP antibodies for at least one year without re-infection. Recombinant PvAARP protein was strongly recognized by knowlesi malaria patients. Antibody raised against the P. vivax and P. knowlesi AARP N-termini reacted with the apical side of the P. knowlesi merozoites and inhibited erythrocyte invasion by P. knowlesi in a concentration-dependent manner, thereby suggesting a cross-species nature of anti-PvAARP antibody against PkAARP. These results can be explained by B cell epitopes predicted in conserved surface-exposed regions of the AARP N-terminus in both species. The long-lived anti-PvAARP antibody response, cross-reactivity, and invasion inhibitory activity of anti-PvAARP support a critical role of AARP during the erythrocyte invasion and suggest that PvAARP induces long-lived cross-species protective immunity against P. vivax and P. knowlesi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fauzi Muh
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Md Atique Ahmed
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Hee Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Myat Htut Nyunt
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medical Research, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Seong-Kyun Lee
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Yee Ling Lau
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Osamu Kaneko
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Eun-Taek Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Bansal GP, Vengesai A, Cao Y, Mduluza T, Kumar N. Antibodies elicited during natural infection in a predominantly Plasmodium falciparum transmission area cross-react with sexual stage-specific antigen in P. vivax. Acta Trop 2017; 170:105-111. [PMID: 28257812 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Infections caused by Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax account for more than 90% of global malaria burden. Exposure to malaria parasite elicits immune responses during natural infection and it is generally believed that the immunity is not only stage specific but also species specific. However, partial genomic similarity for various antigens in different Plasmodium spp. raises the possibility of immunological cross-reactivity at the level of specific antigens. Serum samples collected from children who were permanent residents of a P. falciparum transmission area in Zimbabwe were screened for antibody reactivity against Pfs48/45, a P. falciparum gametocyte antigen and Pvs48/45, a P. vivax homolog of Pfs48/45 using ELISA. Western blotting was used to further confirm identity of the specific antibody reactivity to the Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 proteins. Pan Plasmodium PCR and nested PCR were used to confirm infection with the Plasmodium species. Twenty-seven percent (49/181) of the participants were found to be sero-positive for Pfs48/45 and 73% (n=36) of these Pfs48/45 positive sera also showed reactivity with Pvs48/45. Immune cross-reactivity revealed by ELISA was also confirmed by Western blot analysis using a panel of randomly selected 23 Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 ELISA positive samples. Nested PCR analysis of 27 blood samples randomly selected from the 36 that showed positive ELISA reactivity to both Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 antigens confirmed infection with P. falciparum and generalized absence of P. vivax except for a single sample which revealed PCR positivity for both P. vivax and P. falciparum. Our studies with sera samples from a predominantly P. falciparum transmission area in Zimbabwe suggest immunological cross-reactivity with Pvs48/45, thus raising the possibility of partial species cross-reactive immunity and possible cross-boosting of immunity during co-infection with P. falciparum and P. vivax.
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7
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Assessment of the Plasmodium falciparum Preerythrocytic Antigen UIS3 as a Potential Candidate for a Malaria Vaccine. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00641-16. [PMID: 28031267 PMCID: PMC5328496 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00641-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Efforts are under way to improve the efficacy of subunit malaria vaccines through assessments of new adjuvants, vaccination platforms, and antigens. In this study, we further assessed the Plasmodium falciparum antigen upregulated in infective sporozoites 3 (PfUIS3) as a vaccine candidate. PfUIS3 was expressed in the viral vectors chimpanzee adenovirus 63 (ChAd63) and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and used to immunize mice in a prime-boost regimen. We previously demonstrated that this regimen could provide partial protection against challenge with chimeric P. berghei parasites expressing PfUIS3. We now show that ChAd63-MVA PfUIS3 can also provide partial cross-species protection against challenge with wild-type P. berghei parasites. We also show that PfUIS3-specific cellular memory responses could be recalled in human volunteers exposed to P. falciparum parasites in a controlled human malaria infection study. When ChAd63-MVA PfUIS3 was coadministered with the vaccine candidate P. falciparum thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (PfTRAP) expressed in the ChAd63-MVA system, there was no significant change in immunogenicity to either vaccine. However, when mice were challenged with double chimeric P. berghei-P. falciparum parasites expressing both PfUIS3 and PfTRAP, vaccine efficacy was improved to 100% sterile protection. This synergistic effect was evident only when the two vaccines were mixed and administered at the same site. We have therefore demonstrated that vaccination with PfUIS3 can induce a consistent delay in patent parasitemia across mouse strains and against chimeric parasites expressing PfUIS3 as well as wild-type P. berghei; when this vaccine is combined with another partially protective regimen (ChAd63-MVA PfTRAP), complete protection is induced.
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8
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McLean ARD, Boel ME, McGready R, Ataide R, Drew D, Tsuboi T, Beeson JG, Nosten F, Simpson JA, Fowkes FJI. Antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax blood-stage and sporozoite antigens in the postpartum period. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32159. [PMID: 27558000 PMCID: PMC4997260 DOI: 10.1038/srep32159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy a variety of immunological changes occur to accommodate the fetus. It is unknown whether these changes continue to affect humoral immunity postpartum or how quickly they resolve. IgG levels were measured to P. falciparum and P. vivax antigens in 201 postpartum and 201 controls over 12 weeks. Linear mixed-effects models assessed antibody maintenance over time and the effect of microscopically confirmed Plasmodium spp. infection on antibody levels, and whether this was different in postpartum women compared with control women. Postpartum women had reduced Plasmodium spp. antibody levels compared to controls at baseline. Over 12 weeks, mean antibody levels in postpartum women increased to levels observed in control women. Microscopically confirmed P. falciparum and P. vivax infections during follow-up were associated with an increase in species-specific antibodies with similar magnitudes of boosting observed in postpartum and control women. Antibodies specific for pregnancy-associated, VAR2CSA-expressing parasites did not rapidly decline postpartum and did not boost in response to infection in either postpartum or control women. After pregnancy, levels of malaria-specific antibodies were reduced, but recovered to levels seen in control women. There was no evidence of an impaired ability to mount a boosting response in postpartum women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair R D McLean
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Machteld E Boel
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot 63110, Thailand
| | - Rose McGready
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot 63110, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
| | - Ricardo Ataide
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Damien Drew
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyuma 790-8577, Japan
| | - James G Beeson
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.,Department of Microbiology, Monash University 3800, Australia
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot 63110, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
| | - Julie A Simpson
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Freya J I Fowkes
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3004, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University 3800, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Cao Y, Bansal GP, Merino K, Kumar N. Immunological Cross-Reactivity between Malaria Vaccine Target Antigen P48/45 in Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum and Cross-Boosting of Immune Responses. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158212. [PMID: 27438603 PMCID: PMC4954667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In general, malaria immunity has been suggested to be species specific with very little, if any, known cross-reactivity between Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum, both of which are responsible for >90% of human malaria, and co-endemic in many countries. It is therefore believed that species-specific immunity may be needed to target different species of Plasmodium. Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 are well established targets in the sexual stages of the malaria parasites, and are being pursued for the development of transmission blocking vaccines. Comparison of their sequences reveals 61% and 55% identity at the DNA and protein level, respectively raising the possibility that these two target antigens might share cross-reacting epitopes. Having succeeded in expressing recombinant Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 proteins, we hypothesized that these proteins will not only exhibit immunological cross–reactivity but also cross-boost immune responses. Mice were immunized with purified recombinant proteins using CFA, Montanide ISA-51 and alum as adjuvants, and the sera were analyzed by ELISA, Western blotting and indirect fixed and live IFA to address the hypothesis. Our studies revealed that Pvs48/45-immune sera showed strong cross-reactivity to full length Pfs48/45 protein, and the majority of this cross reactivity was in the amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal sub-fragments of Pfs48/45. In cross-boosting experiments Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 antigens were able to cross-boost each other in mouse immunization studies. Additionally we also noticed an effect of adjuvants in the overall magnitude of observed cross-reactivity. These studies may have significant implications for immunity targeting transmission of both the species of malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Cao
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
| | - Geetha P. Bansal
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
| | - Kristen Merino
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
| | - Nirbhay Kumar
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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10
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Bassat Q, Velarde M, Mueller I, Lin J, Leslie T, Wongsrichanalai C, Baird JK. Key Knowledge Gaps for Plasmodium vivax Control and Elimination. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:62-71. [PMID: 27430544 PMCID: PMC5201224 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is inadequate understanding of the biology, pathology, transmission, and control of Plasmodium vivax, the geographically most widespread cause of human malaria. During the last decades, study of this species was neglected, in part due to the erroneous belief that it is intrinsically benign. In addition, many technical challenges in culturing the parasite also hampered understanding its fundamental biology and molecular and cellular responses to chemotherapeutics. Research on vivax malaria needs to be substantially expanded over the next decade to accelerate its elimination and eradication. This article summarizes key knowledge gaps identified by researchers, national malaria control programs, and other stakeholders assembled by the World Health Organization to develop strategies for controlling and eliminating vivax malaria. The priorities presented in this article emerged in these technical discussions, and were adopted by expert consensus of the authors. All involved understood the priority placed upon pragmatism in this research agenda, that is, focus upon tools delivering better prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of P. vivax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Mar Velarde
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ivo Mueller
- Population Health and Immunology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica Lin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Toby Leslie
- Health Protection and Research Organisation, Kabul, Afghanistan.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - J Kevin Baird
- Centre for Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Jakarta, Indonesia
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Zerka A, Rydzak J, Lass A, Szostakowska B, Nahorski W, Wroczyńska A, Myjak P, Krotkiewski H, Jaskiewicz E. Studies on Immunogenicity and Antigenicity of Baculovirus-Expressed Binding Region of Plasmodium falciparum EBA-140 Merozoite Ligand. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2015; 64:149-56. [PMID: 26439848 PMCID: PMC4805696 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-015-0367-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The erythrocyte binding ligand 140 (EBA-140) is a member of the Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte binding antigens (EBA) family, which are considered as prospective candidates for malaria vaccine development. EBA proteins were identified as important targets for naturally acquired inhibitory antibodies. Natural antibody response against EBA-140 ligand was found in individuals living in malaria-endemic areas. The EBA-140 ligand is a paralogue of the well-characterized P. falciparum EBA-175 protein. They both share homology of domain structure, including the binding region (Region II), which consists of two homologous F1 and F2 domains and is responsible for ligand-erythrocyte receptor interaction during merozoite invasion. It was shown that the erythrocyte receptor for EBA-140 ligand is glycophorin C-a minor human erythrocyte sialoglycoprotein. In studies on the immunogenicity of P. falciparum EBA ligands, the recombinant proteins are of great importance. In this report, we have demonstrated that the recombinant baculovirus-obtained EBA-140 Region II is immunogenic and antigenic. It can raise specific antibodies in rabbits, and it is recognized by natural antibodies present in sera of patients with malaria, and thus, it may be considered for inclusion in multicomponent blood-stage vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Zerka
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Joanna Rydzak
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Anna Lass
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Beata Szostakowska
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Wacław Nahorski
- Department of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Wroczyńska
- Department of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Przemyslaw Myjak
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Hubert Krotkiewski
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Ewa Jaskiewicz
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland. .,Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Gora, Poland.
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12
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Patarroyo MA, Calderón D, Moreno-Pérez DA. Vaccines againstPlasmodium vivax: a research challenge. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 11:1249-60. [DOI: 10.1586/erv.12.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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13
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Vanloubbeeck Y, Pichyangkul S, Bayat B, Yongvanitchit K, Bennett JW, Sattabongkot J, Schaecher K, Ockenhouse CF, Cohen J, Yadava A. Comparison of the immune responses induced by soluble and particulate Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite vaccine candidates formulated in AS01 in rhesus macaques. Vaccine 2013; 31:6216-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Revised: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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14
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Immunogenicity of recombinant proteins consisting of Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein allelic variant-derived epitopes fused with Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium flagellin. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2013; 20:1418-25. [PMID: 23863502 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00312-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
A Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based recombinant fusion vaccine is the first malaria vaccine to reach phase III clinical trials. Resistance to infection correlated with the production of antibodies to the immunodominant central repeat region of the CSP. In contrast to P. falciparum, vaccine development against the CSP of Plasmodium vivax malaria is far behind. Based on this gap in our knowledge, we generated a recombinant chimeric protein containing the immunodominant central repeat regions of the P. vivax CSP fused to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium-derived flagellin (FliC) to activate the innate immune system. The recombinant proteins that were generated contained repeat regions derived from each of the 3 different allelic variants of the P. vivax CSP or a fusion of regions derived from each of the 3 allelic forms. Mice were subcutaneously immunized with the fusion proteins alone or in combination with the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3) agonist poly(I·C), and the anti-CSP serum IgG response was measured. Immunization with a mixture of the 3 recombinant proteins, each containing immunodominant epitopes derived from a single allelic variant, rather than a single recombinant protein carrying a fusion of regions derived from each of 3 allelic forms elicited a stronger immune response. This response was independent of TLR-4 but required TLR-5/MyD88 activation. Antibody titers significantly increased when poly(I·C) was used as an adjuvant with a mixture of the 3 recombinant proteins. These recombinant fusion proteins are novel candidates for the development of an effective malaria vaccine against P. vivax.
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