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Ventocilla JA, Tapia LL, Ponce R, Franco A, Leelawong M, Aguiar JC, Baldeviano GC, Wilder BK. Evaluation of naturally acquired immune responses against novel pre-erythrocytic Plasmodium vivax proteins in a low endemic malaria population located in the Peruvian Amazon Basin. Malar J 2024; 23:163. [PMID: 38783317 PMCID: PMC11118720 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04978-z] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium vivax represents the most geographically widespread human malaria parasite affecting civilian and military populations in endemic areas. Targeting the pre-erythrocytic (PE) stage of the parasite life cycle is especially appealing for developing P. vivax vaccines as it would prevent disease and transmission. Here, naturally acquired immunity to a panel of P. vivax PE antigens was explored, which may facilitate vaccine development and lead to a better understanding of naturally acquired PE immunity. METHODS Twelve P. vivax PE antigens orthologous to a panel of P. falciparum antigens previously identified as highly immunogenic in protected subjects after immunization with radiation attenuated sporozoites (RAS) were used for evaluation of humoral and cellular immunity by ELISA and IFN-γ ELISpot. Samples from P. vivax infected individuals (n = 76) from a low endemic malaria region in the Peruvian Amazon Basin were used. RESULTS In those clinical samples, all PE antigens evaluated showed positive IgG antibody reactivity with a variable prevalence of 58-99% in recently P. vivax diagnosed patients. The magnitude of the IgG antibody response against PE antigens was lower compared with blood stage antigens MSP1 and DBP-II, although antibody levels persisted better for PE antigens (average decrease of 6% for PE antigens and 43% for MSP1, p < 0.05). Higher IgG antibodies was associated with one or more previous malaria episodes only for blood stage antigens (p < 0.001). High IgG responders across PE and blood stage antigens showed significantly lower parasitaemia compared to low IgG responders (median 1,921 vs 4,663 par/µl, p < 0.05). In a subgroup of volunteers (n = 17),positive IFN-γ T cell response by ELISPOT was observed in 35% vs 9-35% against blood stage MSP1 and PE antigens, respectively, but no correlation with IgG responses. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate clear humoral and T cell responses against P. vivax PE antigens in individuals naturally infected with P. vivax. These data identify novel attractive PE antigens suitable for use in the potential development and selection of new malaria vaccine candidates which can be used as a part of malaria prevention strategies in civilian and military populations living in P. vivax endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Ventocilla
- Vysnova Partners Inc., Bethesda, USA
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - L Lorena Tapia
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit South, Lima-Peru (NAMRU SOUTH), Bellavista, Peru
| | | | | | - Mindy Leelawong
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit South, Lima-Peru (NAMRU SOUTH), Bellavista, Peru
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, USA
| | | | - G Christian Baldeviano
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit South, Lima-Peru (NAMRU SOUTH), Bellavista, Peru
- Bluebird Bio, Inc, Somerville, USA
| | - Brandon K Wilder
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit South, Lima-Peru (NAMRU SOUTH), Bellavista, Peru.
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA.
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2
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Costa-Gouvea TBL, Françoso KS, Marques RF, Gimenez AM, Faria ACM, Cariste LM, Dominguez MR, Vasconcelos JRC, Nakaya HI, Silveira ELV, Soares IS. Poly I:C elicits broader and stronger humoral and cellular responses to a Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein malaria vaccine than Alhydrogel in mice. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1331474. [PMID: 38650939 PMCID: PMC11033515 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1331474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a global health challenge, necessitating the development of effective vaccines. The RTS,S vaccination prevents Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria but is ineffective against Plasmodium vivax (Pv) disease. Herein, we evaluated the murine immunogenicity of a recombinant PvCSP incorporating prevalent polymorphisms, adjuvanted with Alhydrogel or Poly I:C. Both formulations induced prolonged IgG responses, with IgG1 dominance by the Alhydrogel group and high titers of all IgG isotypes by the Poly I:C counterpart. Poly I:C-adjuvanted vaccination increased splenic plasma cells, terminally-differentiated memory cells (MBCs), and precursors relative to the Alhydrogel-combined immunization. Splenic B-cells from Poly I:C-vaccinated mice revealed an antibody-secreting cell- and MBC-differentiating gene expression profile. Biological processes such as antibody folding and secretion were highlighted by the Poly I:C-adjuvanted vaccination. These findings underscore the potential of Poly I:C to strengthen immune responses against Pv malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany B. L. Costa-Gouvea
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Katia S. Françoso
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo F. Marques
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alba Marina Gimenez
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana C. M. Faria
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leonardo M. Cariste
- Laboratório de Vacinas Recombinantes, Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | - Mariana R. Dominguez
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Ronnie C. Vasconcelos
- Laboratório de Vacinas Recombinantes, Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | - Helder I. Nakaya
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Institut Pasteur São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo L. V. Silveira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Irene S. Soares
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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da Veiga GTS, Moriggi MR, Vettorazzi JF, Müller-Santos M, Albrecht L. Plasmodium vivax vaccine: What is the best way to go? Front Immunol 2023; 13:910236. [PMID: 36726991 PMCID: PMC9885200 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.910236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is one of the most devastating human infectious diseases caused by Plasmodium spp. parasites. A search for an effective and safe vaccine is the main challenge for its eradication. Plasmodium vivax is the second most prevalent Plasmodium species and the most geographically distributed parasite and has been neglected for decades. This has a massive gap in knowledge and consequently in the development of vaccines. The most significant difficulties in obtaining a vaccine against P. vivax are the high genetic diversity and the extremely complex life cycle. Due to its complexity, studies have evaluated P. vivax antigens from different stages as potential targets for an effective vaccine. Therefore, the main vaccine candidates are grouped into preerythrocytic stage vaccines, blood-stage vaccines, and transmission-blocking vaccines. This review aims to support future investigations by presenting the main findings of vivax malaria vaccines to date. There are only a few P. vivax vaccines in clinical trials, and thus far, the best protective efficacy was a vaccine formulated with synthetic peptide from a circumsporozoite protein and Montanide ISA-51 as an adjuvant with 54.5% efficacy in a phase IIa study. In addition, the majority of P. vivax antigen candidates are polymorphic, induce strain-specific and heterogeneous immunity and provide only partial protection. Nevertheless, immunization with recombinant proteins and multiantigen vaccines have shown promising results and have emerged as excellent strategies. However, more studies are necessary to assess the ideal vaccine combination and test it in clinical trials. Developing a safe and effective vaccine against vivax malaria is essential for controlling and eliminating the disease. Therefore, it is necessary to determine what is already known to propose and identify new candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisele Tatiane Soares da Veiga
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Parasites Research, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Curitiba, Brazil,Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | | | - Marcelo Müller-Santos
- Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Letusa Albrecht
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Parasites Research, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Curitiba, Brazil,*Correspondence: Letusa Albrecht,
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4
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Kucharska I, Hossain L, Ivanochko D, Yang Q, Rubinstein JL, Pomès R, Julien JP. Structural basis of Plasmodium vivax inhibition by antibodies binding to the circumsporozoite protein repeats. eLife 2022; 11:72908. [PMID: 35023832 PMCID: PMC8809896 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a global health burden, with Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and Plasmodium vivax (Pv) responsible for the majority of infections worldwide. Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is the most abundant protein on the surface of Plasmodium sporozoites, and antibodies targeting the central repeat region of CSP can prevent parasite infection. Although much has been uncovered about the molecular basis of antibody recognition of the PfCSP repeats, data remains scarce for PvCSP. Here, we performed molecular dynamics simulations for peptides comprising the PvCSP repeats from strains VK210 and VK247 to reveal how the PvCSP central repeats are highly disordered, with minor propensities to adopt turn conformations. Next, we solved eight crystal structures to unveil the interactions of two inhibitory monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), 2F2 and 2E10.E9, with PvCSP repeats. Both antibodies can accommodate subtle sequence variances in the repeat motifs and recognize largely coiled peptide conformations that also contain isolated turns. Our structural studies uncover various degrees of Fab-Fab homotypic interactions upon recognition of the PvCSP central repeats by these two inhibitory mAbs, similar to potent mAbs against PfCSP. These findings augment our understanding of host-Plasmodium interactions and contribute molecular details of Pv inhibition by mAbs to unlock structure-based engineering of PvCSP-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iga Kucharska
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lamia Hossain
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Danton Ivanochko
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Qiren Yang
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - John L Rubinstein
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Régis Pomès
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
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5
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Opi DH, Kurtovic L, Chan JA, Horton JL, Feng G, Beeson JG. Multi-functional antibody profiling for malaria vaccine development and evaluation. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:1257-1272. [PMID: 34530671 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1981864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A vaccine would greatly accelerate current global efforts toward malaria elimination. While a partially efficacious vaccine has been achieved for Plasmodium falciparum, a major bottleneck in developing highly efficacious vaccines is a lack of reliable correlates of protection, and the limited application of assays that quantify functional immune responses to evaluate and down-select vaccine candidates in pre-clinical studies and clinical trials. AREAS COVERED In this review, we describe the important role of antibodies in immunity against malaria and detail the nature and functional activities of antibodies against the malaria-causing parasite. We highlight the growing understanding of antibody effector functions against malaria and in vitro assays to measure these functional antibody responses. We discuss the application of these assays to quantify antibody functions in vaccine development and evaluation. EXPERT OPINION It is becoming increasingly clear that multiple antibody effector functions are involved in immunity to malaria. Therefore, we propose that evaluating vaccine candidates needs to move beyond individual assays or measuring IgG magnitude alone. Instead, vaccine evaluation should incorporate the full breadth of antibody response types and harness a wider range of assays measuring functional antibody responses. We propose a 3-tier approach to implementing assays to inform vaccine evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Herbert Opi
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Liriye Kurtovic
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jo-Anne Chan
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jessica L Horton
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gaoqian Feng
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James G Beeson
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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Abstract
In this review for the Vivax malaria collection, Kamala Thriemer and colleagues explore efforts to eliminate P. vivax malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamala Thriemer
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | - Benedikt Ley
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | - Lorenz von Seidlein
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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7
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De SL, Ntumngia FB, Nicholas J, Adams JH. Progress towards the development of a P. vivax vaccine. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:97-112. [PMID: 33481638 PMCID: PMC7994195 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1880898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Plasmodium vivax causes significant public health problems in endemic regions. A vaccine to prevent disease is critical, considering the rapid spread of drug-resistant parasite strains, and the development of hypnozoites in the liver with potential for relapse. A minimally effective vaccine should prevent disease and transmission while an ideal vaccine provides sterile immunity. AREAS COVERED Despite decades of research, the complex life cycle, technical challenges and a lack of funding have hampered progress of P. vivax vaccine development. Here, we review the progress of potential P. vivax vaccine candidates from different stages of the parasite life cycle. We also highlight the challenges and important strategies for rational vaccine design. These factors can significantly increase immune effector mechanisms and improve the protective efficacy of these candidates in clinical trials to generate sustained protection over longer periods of time. EXPERT OPINION A vaccine that presents functionally-conserved epitopes from multiple antigens from various stages of the parasite life cycle is key to induce broadly neutralizing strain-transcending protective immunity to effectively disrupt parasite development and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Lata De
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa – 33612, FL
| | - Francis B. Ntumngia
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa – 33612, FL
| | - Justin Nicholas
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa – 33612, FL
| | - John H. Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa – 33612, FL
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8
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Miyazaki Y, Marin-Mogollon C, Imai T, Mendes AM, van der Laak R, Sturm A, Geurten FJA, Miyazaki S, Chevalley-Maurel S, Ramesar J, Kolli SK, Kroeze H, van Schuijlenburg R, Salman AM, Wilder BK, Reyes-Sandoval A, Dechering KJ, Prudêncio M, Janse CJ, Khan SM, Franke-Fayard B. Generation of a Genetically Modified Chimeric Plasmodium falciparum Parasite Expressing Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Protein for Malaria Vaccine Development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:591046. [PMID: 33392104 PMCID: PMC7773900 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.591046] [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: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric rodent malaria parasites with the endogenous circumsporozoite protein (csp) gene replaced with csp from the human parasites Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) are used in preclinical evaluation of CSP vaccines. Chimeric rodent parasites expressing PfCSP have also been assessed as whole sporozoite (WSP) vaccines. Comparable chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing CSP of P. vivax could be used both for clinical evaluation of vaccines targeting PvCSP in controlled human P. falciparum infections and in WSP vaccines targeting P. vivax and P. falciparum. We generated chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing both PfCSP and PvCSP. These Pf-PvCSP parasites produced sporozoite comparable to wild type P. falciparum parasites and expressed PfCSP and PvCSP on the sporozoite surface. Pf-PvCSP sporozoites infected human hepatocytes and induced antibodies to the repeats of both PfCSP and PvCSP after immunization of mice. These results support the use of Pf-PvCSP sporozoites in studies optimizing vaccines targeting PvCSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Takashi Imai
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Host Defense, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | | | - Fiona J A Geurten
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shinya Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Jai Ramesar
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Surendra K Kolli
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Hans Kroeze
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Ahmed M Salman
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Brandon K Wilder
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shahid M Khan
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Capobianco MP, Cassiano GC, Storti-Melo LM, Pimenta TS, Rodrigues APD, Arruda JEG, Pinto MR, Baptista ARDS, Pratt-Riccio LR, Bonini-Domingos CR, de Oliveira-Ferreira J, Machado RLD. Polymorphism in the IL-1β promoter is associated with IgG antibody response to circumsporozoite protein repeats of Plasmodium vivax. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2020; 114:858-865. [PMID: 32766886 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/traa055] [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: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is well established that infection by Plasmodium vivax is a result of host-parasite interactions. In the present study, association with the IL1/IL2 cytokine profiles, anticircumsporozoite protein antibody levels and parasitic loads was evaluated in individuals naturally infected with P. vivax in an endemic area of the Brazilian Amazon. METHODS Molecular diagnosis of P. vivax and variants was performed using the PCR-RFLP method and IL1B -511C>T, IL2 -330T>G and IL2+114T>G polymorphisms were identified using PCR-RFLP and allele-specific PCR. IL-1β and IL-2 cytokine levels were detected by flow cytometry and circumsporozoite protein (CSP) antibodies were measured by ELISA. RESULTS Three variants of P. vivax CSP were identified and VK247 was found to be the most frequent. However, the prevalence and magnitude of IgG antibodies were higher for the VK210 variant. Furthermore, the antibody response to the CSP variants was not associated with the presence of the variant in the infection. Significant differences were observed between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -511T>C in the IL1B gene and levels of antibodies to the VK247 and P. vivax-like variants, but there were no associations between SNPs in IL1 and IL2 genes and their plasma products. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with the rs16944 CC genotype in the IL1β gene have higher antibody levels to the CSP of P. vivax of VK247 and P. vivax-like variants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gustavo Capatti Cassiano
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Institut, Lisboa University, Portugal
| | | | - Tamirys Simão Pimenta
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunogenetics, Evandro Chagas Institute/Health Ministry, Pará, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Drummond Rodrigues
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Evandro Chagas Institute/Health Ministry, University Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - José Eduardo Gomes Arruda
- Center of Microorganisms Investigation, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcia Ribeiro Pinto
- Center of Microorganisms Investigation, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Ricardo Luiz Dantas Machado
- Graduate Program in Biosciences, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center of Microorganisms Investigation, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Duffy PE, Patrick Gorres J. Malaria vaccines since 2000: progress, priorities, products. NPJ Vaccines 2020; 5:48. [PMID: 32566259 PMCID: PMC7283239 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-0196-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria vaccine development entered a new era in 2015 when the pre-erythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum candidate RTS,S was favorably reviewed by the European Medicines Agency and subsequently introduced into national pilot implementation programs, marking the first human anti-parasite vaccine to pass regulatory scrutiny. Since the first trials published in 1997, RTS,S has been evaluated in a series of clinical trials culminating in Phase 3 testing, while testing of other pre-erythrocytic candidates (that target sporozoite- or liver-stage parasites), particularly whole sporozoite vaccines, has also increased. Interest in blood-stage candidates (that limit blood-stage parasite growth) subsided after disappointing human efficacy results, although new blood-stage targets and concepts may revive activity in this area. Over the past decade, testing of transmission-blocking vaccines (that kill mosquito/sexual-stage parasites) advanced to field trials and the first generation of placental malaria vaccines (that clear placenta-sequestering parasites) entered the clinic. Novel antigen discovery, human monoclonal antibodies, structural vaccinology, and improved platforms promise to expand on RTS,S and improve existing vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick E Duffy
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - J Patrick Gorres
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
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11
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Antonelli LR, Junqueira C, Vinetz JM, Golenbock DT, Ferreira MU, Gazzinelli RT. The immunology of Plasmodium vivax malaria. Immunol Rev 2019; 293:163-189. [PMID: 31642531 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax infection, the predominant cause of malaria in Asia and Latin America, affects ~14 million individuals annually, with considerable adverse effects on wellbeing and socioeconomic development. A clinical hallmark of Plasmodium infection, the paroxysm, is driven by pyrogenic cytokines produced during the immune response. Here, we review studies on the role of specific immune cell types, cognate innate immune receptors, and inflammatory cytokines on parasite control and disease symptoms. This review also summarizes studies on recurrent infections in individuals living in endemic regions as well as asymptomatic infections, a serious barrier to eliminating this disease. We propose potential mechanisms behind these repeated and subclinical infections, such as poor induction of immunological memory cells and inefficient T effector cells. We address the role of antibody-mediated resistance to P. vivax infection and discuss current progress in vaccine development. Finally, we review immunoregulatory mechanisms, such as inhibitory receptors, T regulatory cells, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, that antagonizes both innate and acquired immune responses, interfering with the development of protective immunity and parasite clearance. These studies provide new insights for the clinical management of symptomatic as well as asymptomatic individuals and the development of an efficacious vaccine for vivax malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lis R Antonelli
- Instituto de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Caroline Junqueira
- Instituto de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Joseph M Vinetz
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Douglas T Golenbock
- Division of Infectious Disease and immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Marcelo U Ferreira
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo T Gazzinelli
- Instituto de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Division of Infectious Disease and immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.,Plataforma de Medicina Translacional, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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12
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Taghavian O, Jain A, Joyner CJ, Ketchum S, Nakajima R, Jasinskas A, Liang L, Fong R, King C, Greenhouse B, Murphy M, Bailey J, Galinski MR, Barnwell JW, Plowe CV, Davies DH, Felgner PL. Antibody Profiling by Proteome Microarray with Multiplex Isotype Detection Reveals Overlap between Human and Aotus nancymaae Controlled Malaria Infections. Proteomics 2019; 18. [PMID: 29266845 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201700277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The development of vaccines against malaria and serodiagnostic tests for detecting recent exposure requires tools for antigen discovery and suitable animal models. The protein microarray is a high-throughput, sample sparing technique, with applications in infectious disease research, clinical diagnostics, epidemiology, and vaccine development. We recently demonstrated Qdot-based indirect immunofluorescence together with portable optical imager ArrayCAM using single isotype detection could replicate data using the conventional laser confocal scanner system. We developed a multiplexing protocol for simultaneous detection of IgG, IgA, and IgM and compared samples from a controlled human malaria infection model with those from controlled malaria infections of Aotus nancymaae, a widely used non-human primate model of human malaria. IgG profiles showed the highest concordance in number of reactive antigens; thus, of the 139 antigens recognized by human IgG antibody, 111 were also recognized by Aotus monkeys. Interestingly, IgA profiles were largely non-overlapping. Finally, on the path toward wider deployment of the portable platform, we show excellent correlations between array data obtained in five independent laboratories around the United States using the multiplexing protocol (R2 : 0.60-0.92). This study supports the use of this platform for wider deployment, particularly in endemic areas where such a tool will have the greatest impact on global human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Taghavian
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Aarti Jain
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Chester J Joyner
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Rie Nakajima
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Algis Jasinskas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Li Liang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Rich Fong
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Christopher King
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Bryan Greenhouse
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maxwell Murphy
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jason Bailey
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mary R Galinski
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John W Barnwell
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christopher V Plowe
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute/Center for Vaccine Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D Huw Davies
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Philip L Felgner
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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13
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Peterson MS, Joyner CJ, Cordy RJ, Salinas JL, Machiah D, Lapp SA, Meyer EVS, Gumber S, Galinski MR. Plasmodium vivax Parasite Load Is Associated With Histopathology in Saimiri boliviensis With Findings Comparable to P vivax Pathogenesis in Humans. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019; 6:ofz021. [PMID: 30937329 PMCID: PMC6436601 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium vivax can cause severe malaria with multisystem organ dysfunction and death. Clinical reports suggest that parasite accumulation in tissues may contribute to pathogenesis and disease severity, but direct evidence is scarce. Methods We present quantitative parasitological and histopathological analyses of tissue sections from a cohort of naive, mostly splenectomized Saimiri boliviensis infected with P vivax to define the relationship of tissue parasite load and histopathology. Results The lung, liver, and kidney showed the most tissue injury, with pathological presentations similar to observations reported from autopsies. Parasite loads correlated with the degree of histopathologic changes in the lung and liver tissues. In contrast, kidney damage was not associated directly with parasite load but with the presence of hemozoin, an inflammatory parasite byproduct. Conclusions This analysis supports the use of the S boliviensis infection model for performing detailed histopathological studies to better understand and potentially design interventions to treat serious clinical manifestations caused by P vivax.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Regina J Cordy
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
| | - Jorge L Salinas
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine
| | - Deepa Machiah
- Division of Pathology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
| | - Stacey A Lapp
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
| | | | | | - Sanjeev Gumber
- Division of Pathology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mary R Galinski
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine
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14
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Prime-boost vaccination with recombinant protein and adenovirus-vector expressing Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP) partially protects mice against Pb/Pv sporozoite challenge. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1118. [PMID: 29348479 PMCID: PMC5773670 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-19063-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccine development against Plasmodium vivax malaria lags behind that for Plasmodium falciparum. To narrow this gap, we administered recombinant antigens based on P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP) to mice. We expressed in Pichia pastoris two chimeric proteins by merging the three central repeat regions of different CSP alleles (VK210, VK247, and P. vivax-like). The first construct (yPvCSP-AllFL) contained the fused repeat regions flanked by N- and C-terminal regions. The second construct (yPvCSP-AllCT) contained the fused repeat regions and the C-terminal domain, plus RI region. Mice were vaccinated with three doses of yPvCSP in adjuvants Poly (I:C) or Montanide ISA720. We also used replication-defective adenovirus vectors expressing CSP of human serotype 5 (AdHu5) and chimpanzee serotype 68 (AdC68) for priming mice which were subsequently boosted twice with yPvCSP proteins in Poly (I:C) adjuvant. Regardless of the regime used, immunized mice generated high IgG titres specific to all CSP alleles. After challenge with P. berghei ANKA transgenic parasites expressing Pb/PvVK210 or Pb/PvVK247 sporozoites, significant time delays for parasitemia were observed in all vaccinated mice. These vaccine formulations should be clinically tried for their potential as protective universal vaccine against P. vivax malaria.
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15
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Gimenez AM, Lima LC, Françoso KS, Denapoli PMA, Panatieri R, Bargieri DY, Thiberge JM, Andolina C, Nosten F, Renia L, Nussenzweig RS, Nussenzweig V, Amino R, Rodrigues MM, Soares IS. Vaccine Containing the Three Allelic Variants of the Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Antigen Induces Protection in Mice after Challenge with a Transgenic Rodent Malaria Parasite. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1275. [PMID: 29075260 PMCID: PMC5642139 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the most common species that cause malaria outside of the African continent. The development of an efficacious vaccine would contribute greatly to control malaria. Recently, using bacterial and adenoviral recombinant proteins based on the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP), we demonstrated the possibility of eliciting strong antibody-mediated immune responses to each of the three allelic forms of P. vivax CSP (PvCSP). In the present study, recombinant proteins representing the PvCSP alleles (VK210, VK247, and P. vivax-like), as well as a hybrid polypeptide, named PvCSP-All epitopes, were generated. This hybrid containing the conserved C-terminal of the PvCSP and the three variant repeat domains in tandem were successfully produced in the yeast Pichia pastoris. After purification and biochemical characterization, they were used for the experimental immunization of C57BL/6 mice in a vaccine formulation containing the adjuvant Poly(I:C). Immunization with a recombinant protein expressing all three different allelic forms in fusion elicited high IgG antibody titers reacting with all three different allelic variants of PvCSP. The antibodies targeted both the C-terminal and repeat domains of PvCSP and recognized the native protein on the surface of P. vivax sporozoites. More importantly, mice that received the vaccine formulation were protected after challenge with chimeric Plasmodium berghei sporozoites expressing CSP repeats of P. vivax sporozoites (Pb/PvVK210). Our results suggest that it is possible to elicit protective immunity against one of the most common PvCSP alleles using soluble recombinant proteins expressed by P. pastoris. These recombinant proteins are promising candidates for clinical trials aiming to develop a multiallele vaccine against P. vivax malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Marina Gimenez
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Center of Cellular and Molecular Therapy (CTCMol), Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciana Chagas Lima
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Center of Cellular and Molecular Therapy (CTCMol), Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Katia Sanches Françoso
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Priscila M. A. Denapoli
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Center of Cellular and Molecular Therapy (CTCMol), Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raquel Panatieri
- Unit of Malaria Infection and Immunity, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Department of Parasitology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Chiara Andolina
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Francois Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Renia
- Singapore Immunology Network, Biopolis, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | - Rogerio Amino
- Unit of Malaria Infection and Immunity, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Mauricio M. Rodrigues
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Center of Cellular and Molecular Therapy (CTCMol), Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Irene S. Soares
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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16
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Longley RJ, França CT, White MT, Kumpitak C, Sa-Angchai P, Gruszczyk J, Hostetler JB, Yadava A, King CL, Fairhurst RM, Rayner JC, Tham WH, Nguitragool W, Sattabongkot J, Mueller I. Asymptomatic Plasmodium vivax infections induce robust IgG responses to multiple blood-stage proteins in a low-transmission region of western Thailand. Malar J 2017; 16:178. [PMID: 28454546 PMCID: PMC5410030 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1826-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thailand is aiming to eliminate malaria by the year 2024. Plasmodium vivax has now become the dominant species causing malaria within the country, and a high proportion of infections are asymptomatic. A better understanding of antibody dynamics to P. vivax antigens in a low-transmission setting, where acquired immune responses are poorly characterized, will be pivotal for developing new strategies for elimination, such as improved surveillance methods and vaccines. The objective of this study was to characterize total IgG antibody levels to 11 key P. vivax proteins in a village of western Thailand. Methods Plasma samples from 546 volunteers enrolled in a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2012 in Kanchanaburi Province were utilized. Total IgG levels to 11 different proteins known or predicted to be involved in reticulocyte binding or invasion (ARP, GAMA, P41, P12, PVX_081550, and five members of the PvRBP family), as well as the leading pre-erythrocytic vaccine candidate (CSP) were measured using a multiplexed bead-based assay. Associations between IgG levels and infection status, age, and spatial location were explored. Results Individuals from a low-transmission region of western Thailand reacted to all 11 P. vivax recombinant proteins. Significantly greater IgG levels were observed in the presence of a current P. vivax infection, despite all infected individuals being asymptomatic. IgG levels were also higher in adults (18 years and older) than in children. For most of the proteins, higher IgG levels were observed in individuals living closer to the Myanmar border and further away from local health services. Conclusions Robust IgG responses were observed to most proteins and IgG levels correlated with surrogates of exposure, suggesting these antigens may serve as potential biomarkers of exposure, immunity, or both. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-017-1826-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhea J Longley
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Camila T França
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael T White
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Chalermpon Kumpitak
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Patiwat Sa-Angchai
- Department of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jakub Gruszczyk
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jessica B Hostetler
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.,Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anjali Yadava
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, United States Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Christopher L King
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rick M Fairhurst
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Julian C Rayner
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wai-Hong Tham
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ivo Mueller
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia. .,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. .,ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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17
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Salman AM, Montoya-Díaz E, West H, Lall A, Atcheson E, Lopez-Camacho C, Ramesar J, Bauza K, Collins KA, Brod F, Reis F, Pappas L, González-Cerón L, Janse CJ, Hill AVS, Khan SM, Reyes-Sandoval A. Rational development of a protective P. vivax vaccine evaluated with transgenic rodent parasite challenge models. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46482. [PMID: 28417968 PMCID: PMC5394459 DOI: 10.1038/srep46482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of a protective and broadly-acting vaccine against the most widely distributed human malaria parasite, Plasmodium vivax, will be a major step towards malaria elimination. However, a P. vivax vaccine has remained elusive by the scarcity of pre-clinical models to test protective efficacy and support further clinical trials. In this study, we report the development of a highly protective CSP-based P. vivax vaccine, a virus-like particle (VLP) known as Rv21, able to provide 100% sterile protection against a stringent sporozoite challenge in rodent models to malaria, where IgG2a antibodies were associated with protection in absence of detectable PvCSP-specific T cell responses. Additionally, we generated two novel transgenic rodent P. berghei parasite lines, where the P. berghei csp gene coding sequence has been replaced with either full-length P. vivax VK210 or the allelic VK247 csp that additionally express GFP-Luciferase. Efficacy of Rv21 surpassed viral-vectored vaccination using ChAd63 and MVA. We show for the first time that a chimeric VK210/247 antigen can elicit high level cross-protection against parasites expressing either CSP allele, which provide accessible and affordable models suitable to support the development of P. vivax vaccines candidates. Rv21 is progressing to GMP production and has entered a path towards clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Salman
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, (LUMC, L4-Q), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eduardo Montoya-Díaz
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Heather West
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Amar Lall
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Erwan Atcheson
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Cesar Lopez-Camacho
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Jai Ramesar
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, (LUMC, L4-Q), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Karolis Bauza
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Katharine A Collins
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Florian Brod
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Fernando Reis
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte - MG - Brasil
| | - Leontios Pappas
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Lilia González-Cerón
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, 4ta Avenida Norte y Calle 19 Poniente, Tapachula, Chiapas, CP 30740, Mexico
| | - Chris J Janse
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, (LUMC, L4-Q), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adrian V S Hill
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Shahid M Khan
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, (LUMC, L4-Q), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
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18
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Evaluation of Plasmodium vivax Cell-Traversal Protein for Ookinetes and Sporozoites as a Preerythrocytic P. vivax Vaccine. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2017; 24:CVI.00501-16. [PMID: 28179403 PMCID: PMC5382829 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00501-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Four different vaccine platforms, each targeting the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax cell-traversal protein for ookinetes and sporozoites (PvCelTOS), were generated and assessed for protective efficacy. These platforms consisted of a recombinant chimpanzee adenoviral vector 63 (ChAd63) expressing PvCelTOS (Ad), a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara expressing PvCelTOS (MVA), PvCelTOS conjugated to bacteriophage Qβ virus-like particles (VLPs), and a recombinant PvCelTOS protein expressed in eukaryotic HEK293T cells (protein). Inbred BALB/c mice and outbred CD-1 mice were immunized using the following prime-boost regimens: Ad-MVA, Ad-VLPs, and Ad-protein. Protective efficacy against sporozoite challenge was assessed after immunization using a novel chimeric rodent Plasmodium berghei parasite (Pb-PvCelTOS). This chimeric parasite expresses P. vivax CelTOS in place of the endogenous P. berghei CelTOS and produces fully infectious sporozoites. A single Ad immunization in BALB/c and CD-1 mice induced anti-PvCelTOS antibodies which were boosted efficiently using MVA, VLP, or protein immunization. PvCelTOS-specific gamma interferon- and tumor necrosis factor alpha-producing CD8+ T cells were induced at high frequencies by all prime-boost regimens in BALB/c mice but not in CD-1 mice; in CD-1 mice, they were only marginally increased after boosting with MVA. Despite the induction of anti-PvCelTOS antibodies and PvCelTOS-specific CD8+ T-cell responses, only low levels of protective efficacy against challenge with Pb-PvCelTOS sporozoites were obtained using any immunization strategy. In BALB/c mice, no immunization regimens provided significant protection against a Pb-PvCelTOS chimeric sporozoite challenge. In CD-1 mice, modest protective efficacy against challenge with chimeric P. berghei sporozoites expressing either PvCelTOS or P. falciparum CelTOS was observed using the Ad-protein vaccination regimen.
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19
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López C, Yepes-Pérez Y, Hincapié-Escobar N, Díaz-Arévalo D, Patarroyo MA. What Is Known about the Immune Response Induced by Plasmodium vivax Malaria Vaccine Candidates? Front Immunol 2017; 8:126. [PMID: 28243235 PMCID: PMC5304258 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax continues being one of the most important infectious diseases around the world; P. vivax is the second most prevalent species and has the greatest geographic distribution. Developing an effective antimalarial vaccine is considered a relevant control strategy in the search for means of preventing the disease. Studying parasite-expressed proteins, which are essential in host cell invasion, has led to identifying the regions recognized by individuals who are naturally exposed to infection. Furthermore, immunogenicity studies have revealed that such regions can trigger a robust immune response that can inhibit sporozoite (hepatic stage) or merozoite (erythrocyte stage) invasion of a host cell and induce protection. This review provides a synthesis of the most important studies to date concerning the antigenicity and immunogenicity of both synthetic peptide and recombinant protein candidates for a vaccine against malaria produced by P. vivax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina López
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Immunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; PhD Programme in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Yoelis Yepes-Pérez
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Immunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; MSc Programme in Microbiology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Natalia Hincapié-Escobar
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Immunología de Colombia (FIDIC) , Bogotá , Colombia
| | - Diana Díaz-Arévalo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Immunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (UDCA), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel A Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Immunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Basic Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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20
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Yadava A, Waters NC. Rationale for Further Development of a Vaccine Based on the Circumsporozoite Protein of Plasmodium vivax. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005164. [PMID: 28081149 PMCID: PMC5230741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Yadava
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, U.S. Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Norman C. Waters
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, U.S. Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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21
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Joyner C, Moreno A, Meyer EVS, Cabrera-Mora M, Kissinger JC, Barnwell JW, Galinski MR. Plasmodium cynomolgi infections in rhesus macaques display clinical and parasitological features pertinent to modelling vivax malaria pathology and relapse infections. Malar J 2016; 15:451. [PMID: 27590312 PMCID: PMC5010691 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1480-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium vivax infections in humans or in new world monkeys pose research challenges that necessitate the use of alternative model systems. Plasmodium cynomolgi is a closely related species that shares genetic and biological characteristics with P. vivax, including relapses. Here, the haematological dynamics and clinical presentation of sporozoite-initiated P. cynomolgi infections in Macaca mulatta (rhesus macaques) are evaluated over a 100-day period. Methods Five M. mulatta were inoculated with 2000 P. cynomolgi B strain sporozoites. Parasitological and haematological data were collected daily to study the clinical presentations of primary infections and relapses. Peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirates were collected at specific time points during infection for future and retrospective systems biology analyses. Results Patent infections were observed between days 10 and 12, and the acute, primary infection consisted of parasitaemias ranging from 269,962 to 1,214,842 parasites/µl (4.42–19.5 % parasitaemia). All animals presented with anaemia, ranging from moderate (7–10 g/dl) to severe (<7 g/dl), based on peripheral haemoglobin concentrations. Minimum haemoglobin levels coincided with the clearance of parasites and peripheral reticulocytosis was evident at this time. Mild thrombocytopaenia (<150,000 platelets/µl) was observed in all animals, but unlike haemoglobin, platelets were lowest whenever peripheral parasitaemia peaked. The animals’ conditions were classified as non-severe, severe or lethal (in one case) based upon their clinical presentation. The lethal phenotype presented uniquely with an exceptionally high parasitaemia (19.5 %) and lack of a modest reticulocyte release, which was observed in the other animals prior to acute manifestations. One or two relapses were observed in the four surviving animals, and these were characterized by significantly lower parasitaemias and minimal changes in clinical parameters compared to pre-infection values. Conclusions Rhesus macaque infections initiated by P. cynomolgi B strain sporozoites recapitulated pathology of human malaria, including anaemia and thrombocytopaenia, with inter-individual differences in disease severity. Importantly, this study provides an in-depth assessment of clinical and parasitological data, and shows that unlike the primary infections, the relapses did not cause clinical malaria. Notably, this body of research has provided experimental plans, large accessible datasets, and blood and bone marrow samples pertinent for ongoing and iterative systems biology investigations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1480-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chester Joyner
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.,Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alberto Moreno
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Esmeralda V S Meyer
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.,Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Monica Cabrera-Mora
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.,Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Jessica C Kissinger
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Bioinformatics, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John W Barnwell
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mary R Galinski
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA. .,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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22
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Bennett JW, Yadava A, Tosh D, Sattabongkot J, Komisar J, Ware LA, McCarthy WF, Cowden JJ, Regules J, Spring MD, Paolino K, Hartzell JD, Cummings JF, Richie TL, Lumsden J, Kamau E, Murphy J, Lee C, Parekh F, Birkett A, Cohen J, Ballou WR, Polhemus ME, Vanloubbeeck YF, Vekemans J, Ockenhouse CF. Phase 1/2a Trial of Plasmodium vivax Malaria Vaccine Candidate VMP001/AS01B in Malaria-Naive Adults: Safety, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004423. [PMID: 26919472 PMCID: PMC4769081 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A vaccine to prevent infection and disease caused by Plasmodium vivax is needed both to reduce the morbidity caused by this parasite and as a key component in efforts to eradicate malaria worldwide. Vivax malaria protein 1 (VMP001), a novel chimeric protein that incorporates the amino- and carboxy- terminal regions of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and a truncated repeat region that contains repeat sequences from both the VK210 (type 1) and the VK247 (type 2) parasites, was developed as a vaccine candidate for global use. METHODS We conducted a first-in-human Phase 1 dose escalation vaccine study with controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) of VMP001 formulated in the GSK Adjuvant System AS01B. A total of 30 volunteers divided into 3 groups (10 per group) were given 3 intramuscular injections of 15 μg, 30 μg, or 60 μg respectively of VMP001, all formulated in 500 μL of AS01B at each immunization. All vaccinated volunteers participated in a P. vivax CHMI 14 days following the third immunization. Six non-vaccinated subjects served as infectivity controls. RESULTS The vaccine was shown to be well tolerated and immunogenic. All volunteers generated robust humoral and cellular immune responses to the vaccine antigen. Vaccination did not induce sterile protection; however, a small but significant delay in time to parasitemia was seen in 59% of vaccinated subjects compared to the control group. An association was identified between levels of anti-type 1 repeat antibodies and prepatent period. SIGNIFICANCE This trial was the first to assess the efficacy of a P. vivax CSP vaccine candidate by CHMI. The association of type 1 repeat-specific antibody responses with delay in the prepatency period suggests that augmenting the immune responses to this domain may improve strain-specific vaccine efficacy. The availability of a P. vivax CHMI model will accelerate the process of P. vivax vaccine development, allowing better selection of candidate vaccines for advancement to field trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W. Bennett
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Anjali Yadava
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Donna Tosh
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Jack Komisar
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lisa A. Ware
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - William F. McCarthy
- U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jessica J. Cowden
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jason Regules
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michele D. Spring
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kristopher Paolino
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joshua D. Hartzell
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - James F. Cummings
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Thomas L. Richie
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joanne Lumsden
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Edwin Kamau
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jittawadee Murphy
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cynthia Lee
- PATH-MVI, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | | | | | | | | | - Mark E. Polhemus
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | | | - Christian F. Ockenhouse
- Malaria Vaccine Brach, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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Hostetler JB, Sharma S, Bartholdson SJ, Wright GJ, Fairhurst RM, Rayner JC. A Library of Plasmodium vivax Recombinant Merozoite Proteins Reveals New Vaccine Candidates and Protein-Protein Interactions. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004264. [PMID: 26701602 PMCID: PMC4689532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A vaccine targeting Plasmodium vivax will be an essential component of any comprehensive malaria elimination program, but major gaps in our understanding of P. vivax biology, including the protein-protein interactions that mediate merozoite invasion of reticulocytes, hinder the search for candidate antigens. Only one ligand-receptor interaction has been identified, that between P. vivax Duffy Binding Protein (PvDBP) and the erythrocyte Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC), and strain-specific immune responses to PvDBP make it a complex vaccine target. To broaden the repertoire of potential P. vivax merozoite-stage vaccine targets, we exploited a recent breakthrough in expressing full-length ectodomains of Plasmodium proteins in a functionally-active form in mammalian cells and initiated a large-scale study of P. vivax merozoite proteins that are potentially involved in reticulocyte binding and invasion. Methodology/Principal Findings We selected 39 P. vivax proteins that are predicted to localize to the merozoite surface or invasive secretory organelles, some of which show homology to P. falciparum vaccine candidates. Of these, we were able to express 37 full-length protein ectodomains in a mammalian expression system, which has been previously used to express P. falciparum invasion ligands such as PfRH5. To establish whether the expressed proteins were correctly folded, we assessed whether they were recognized by antibodies from Cambodian patients with acute vivax malaria. IgG from these samples showed at least a two-fold change in reactivity over naïve controls in 27 of 34 antigens tested, and the majority showed heat-labile IgG immunoreactivity, suggesting the presence of conformation-sensitive epitopes and native tertiary protein structures. Using a method specifically designed to detect low-affinity, extracellular protein-protein interactions, we confirmed a predicted interaction between P. vivax 6-cysteine proteins P12 and P41, further suggesting that the proteins are natively folded and functional. This screen also identified two novel protein-protein interactions, between P12 and PVX_110945, and between MSP3.10 and MSP7.1, the latter of which was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance. Conclusions/Significance We produced a new library of recombinant full-length P. vivax ectodomains, established that the majority of them contain tertiary structure, and used them to identify predicted and novel protein-protein interactions. As well as identifying new interactions for further biological studies, this library will be useful in identifying P. vivax proteins with vaccine potential, and studying P. vivax malaria pathogenesis and immunity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00663546 Plasmodium vivax causes malaria in millions of people each year, primarily in Southeast Asia and Central and South America. P. vivax has a dormant liver stage, which can lead to disease recurrence in infected individuals even in the absence of mosquito transmission. The development of vaccines that target blood-stage P. vivax parasites is therefore likely to be an essential component of any worldwide effort to eradicate malaria. Studying P. vivax is very difficult as this parasite grows poorly in the laboratory and invades only small numbers of young red blood cells in patients. Due to these and other challenges, only a handful of P. vivax proteins have been tested as potential vaccines. To generate more vaccine candidates, we expressed the entire ectodomains of 37 proteins that are predicted to be involved in P. vivax invasion of red blood cells. Antibodies from Cambodian patients with P. vivax malaria recognized heat-sensitive epitopes in the majority of these proteins, suggesting that they are natively folded. We also used the proteins to screen for both predicted and novel protein-protein interactions, confirming that the proteins are functional and further supporting their potential as vaccine candidates. As a new community resource, this P. vivax recombinant protein library will facilitate future studies of P. vivax pathogenesis and immunity, and greatly expands the list of candidate vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica B. Hostetler
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sumana Sharma
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - S. Josefin Bartholdson
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin J. Wright
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rick M. Fairhurst
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail: (RMF); (JCR)
| | - Julian C. Rayner
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (RMF); (JCR)
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24
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Development of vaccines for Plasmodium vivax malaria. Vaccine 2015; 33:7489-95. [PMID: 26428453 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.09.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax continues to cause significant morbidity outside Africa with more than 50% of malaria cases in many parts of South and South-east Asia, Pacific islands, Central and South America being attributed to P. vivax infections. The unique biology of P. vivax, including its ability to form latent hypnozoites that emerge months to years later to cause blood stage infections, early appearance of gametocytes before clinical symptoms are apparent and a shorter development cycle in the vector makes elimination of P. vivax using standard control tools difficult. The availability of an effective vaccine that provides protection and prevents transmission would be a valuable tool in efforts to eliminate P. vivax. Here, we review the latest developments related to P. vivax malaria vaccines and discuss the challenges as well as directions toward the goal of developing highly efficacious vaccines against P. vivax malaria.
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Moreno A, Joyner C. Malaria vaccine clinical trials: what's on the horizon. Curr Opin Immunol 2015; 35:98-106. [PMID: 26172291 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Significant progress toward a malaria vaccine, specifically for Plasmodium falciparum, has been made in the past few years with the completion of numerous clinical trials. Each trial has utilized a unique combination of antigens, delivery platforms, and adjuvants, which has provided the research community with a wealth of critical information to apply towards the development of next generation malaria vaccines. Despite the progress toward a P. falciparum vaccine, P. vivax vaccine research requires more momentum and additional investigations to identify novel vaccine candidates. In this review, recently completed and ongoing malaria vaccine clinical trials as well as vaccine candidates that are in the development pipeline are reviewed. Perspectives for future research using post-genomic mining, nonhuman primate models, and systems biology are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Moreno
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, 69 Jesse Hill, Jr. Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
| | - Chester Joyner
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
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Abstract
The development of a highly effective malaria vaccine remains a key goal to aid in the control and eventual eradication of this devastating parasitic disease. The field has made huge strides in recent years, with the first-generation vaccine RTS,S showing modest efficacy in a Phase III clinical trial. The updated 2030 Malaria Vaccine Technology Roadmap calls for a second generation vaccine to achieve 75% efficacy over two years for both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, and for a vaccine that can prevent malaria transmission. Whole-parasite immunisation approaches and combinations of pre-erythrocytic subunit vaccines are now reporting high-level efficacy, whilst exciting new approaches to the development of blood-stage and transmission-blocking vaccine subunit components are entering clinical development. The development of a highly effective multi-component multi-stage subunit vaccine now appears to be a realistic ambition. This review will cover these recent developments in malaria vaccinology.
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