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Schäfer TM, Pessanha de Carvalho L, Inoue J, Kreidenweiss A, Held J. The problem of antimalarial resistance and its implications for drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:209-224. [PMID: 38108082 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2284820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Malaria remains a devastating infectious disease with hundreds of thousands of casualties each year. Antimalarial drug resistance has been a threat to malaria control and elimination for many decades and is still of concern today. Despite the continued effectiveness of current first-line treatments, namely artemisinin-based combination therapies, the emergence of drug-resistant parasites in Southeast Asia and even more alarmingly the occurrence of resistance mutations in Africa is of great concern and requires immediate attention. AREAS COVERED A comprehensive overview of the mechanisms underlying the acquisition of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum is given. Understanding these processes provides valuable insights that can be harnessed for the development and selection of novel antimalarials with reduced resistance potential. Additionally, strategies to mitigate resistance to antimalarial compounds on the short term by using approved drugs are discussed. EXPERT OPINION While employing strategies that utilize already approved drugs may offer a prompt and cost-effective approach to counter antimalarial drug resistance, it is crucial to recognize that only continuous efforts into the development of novel antimalarial drugs can ensure the successful treatment of malaria in the future. Incorporating resistance propensity assessment during this developmental process will increase the likelihood of effective and enduring malaria treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Juliana Inoue
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Kreidenweiss
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jana Held
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Tübingen, Germany
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2
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Yang B, Liu H, Xu QW, Sun YF, Xu S, Zhang H, Tang JX, Zhu GD, Liu YB, Cao J, Cheng Y. Genetic Diversity Analysis of Surface-Related Antigen (SRA) in Plasmodium falciparum Imported From Africa to China. Front Genet 2021; 12:688606. [PMID: 34421996 PMCID: PMC8378275 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.688606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum surface-related antigen (SRA) is located on the surfaces of gametocyte and merozoite and has the structural and functional characteristics of potential targets for multistage vaccine development. However, little information is available regarding the genetic polymorphism of pfsra. To determine the extent of genetic variation about P. falciparum by characterizing the sra sequence, 74 P. falciparum samples were collected from migrant workers who returned to China from 12 countries of Africa between 2015 and 2019. The full length of the sra gene was amplified and sequenced. The average pairwise nucleotide diversities (π) of P. falciparum sra gene was 0.00132, and the haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.770. The average number of nucleotide differences (k) for pfsra was 3.049. The ratio of non-synonymous (dN) to synonymous (dS) substitutions across sites (dN/dS) was 1.365. Amino acid substitutions of P. falciparum SRA could be categorized into 35 unique amino acid variants. Neutrality tests showed that the polymorphism of PfSRA was maintained by positive diversifying selection, which indicated its role as a potential target of protective immune responses and a vaccine candidate. Overall, the ability of the N-terminal of PfSRA antibodies to evoke inhibition of merozoite invasion of erythrocytes and conserved amino acid at low genetic diversity suggest that the N-terminal of PfSRA could be evaluated as a vaccine candidate against P. falciparum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yang
- Laboratory of Pathogen Infection and Immunity, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qin-Wen Xu
- Laboratory of Pathogen Infection and Immunity, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yi-Fan Sun
- Laboratory of Pathogen Infection and Immunity, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Sui Xu
- Key Laboratory of National Health and Family Planning Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasite Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Laboratory of Pathogen Infection and Immunity, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jian-Xia Tang
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory of National Health and Family Planning Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasite Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Guo-Ding Zhu
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory of National Health and Family Planning Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasite Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Yao-Bao Liu
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory of National Health and Family Planning Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasite Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Jun Cao
- Laboratory of Pathogen Infection and Immunity, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Key Laboratory of National Health and Family Planning Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasite Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Yang Cheng
- Laboratory of Pathogen Infection and Immunity, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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3
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Ayadi I, Balam S, Audran R, Bikorimana JP, Nebie I, Diakité M, Felger I, Tanner M, Spertini F, Corradin G, Arevalo M, Herrera S, Agnolon V. P. falciparum and P. vivax Orthologous Coiled-Coil Candidates for a Potential Cross-Protective Vaccine. Front Immunol 2020; 11:574330. [PMID: 33193361 PMCID: PMC7609509 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.574330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last four decades, significant efforts have been invested to develop vaccines against malaria. Although most efforts are focused on the development of P. falciparum vaccines, the current availability of the parasite genomes, bioinformatics tools, and high throughput systems for both recombinant and synthetic antigen production have helped to accelerate vaccine development against the P. vivax parasite. We have previously in silico identified several P. falciparum and P. vivax proteins containing α-helical coiled-coil motifs that represent novel putative antigens for vaccine development since they are highly immunogenic and have been associated with protection in many in vitro functional assays. Here, we selected five pairs of P. falciparum and P. vivax orthologous peptides to assess their sero-reactivity using plasma samples collected in P. falciparum- endemic African countries. Pf-Pv cross-reactivity was also investigated. The pairs Pf27/Pv27, Pf43/Pv43, and Pf45/Pv45 resulted to be the most promising candidates for a cross-protective vaccine because they showed a high degree of recognition in direct and competition ELISA assays and cross-reactivity with their respective ortholog. The recognition of P. vivax peptides by plasma of P. falciparum infected individuals indicates the existence of a high degree of cross-reactivity between these two Plasmodium species. The design of longer polypeptides combining these epitopes will allow the assessment of their immunogenicity and protective efficacy in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imen Ayadi
- Biochemistry Department, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Saidou Balam
- University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali.,Department of Internal Medicine II-Nephrology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Régine Audran
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Pierre Bikorimana
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Issa Nebie
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Mahamadou Diakité
- University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | - Ingrid Felger
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Tanner
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - François Spertini
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Myriam Arevalo
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia.,Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - Valentina Agnolon
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
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4
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Amlabu E, Mensah-Brown H, Nyarko PB, Akuh OA, Opoku G, Ilani P, Oyagbenro R, Asiedu K, Aniweh Y, Awandare GA. Functional Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum Surface-Related Antigen as a Potential Blood-Stage Vaccine Target. J Infect Dis 2019; 218:778-790. [PMID: 29912472 PMCID: PMC6057521 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte invasion is a multistep process that involves a spectrum of interactions that are not well characterized. We have characterized a 113-kDa immunogenic protein, PF3D7_1431400 (PF14_0293), that possesses coiled-coil structures. The protein is localized on the surfaces of both merozoites and gametocytes, hence the name Plasmodium falciparum surface-related antigen (PfSRA). The processed 32-kDa fragment of PfSRA binds normal human erythrocytes with different sensitivities to enzyme treatments. Temporal imaging from initial attachment to internalization of viable merozoites revealed that a fragment of PfSRA, along with PfMSP119, is internalized after invasion. Moreover, parasite growth inhibition assays showed that PfSRA P1 antibodies potently inhibited erythrocyte invasion of both sialic acid–dependent and –independent parasite strains. Also, immunoepidemiological studies show that malaria-infected populations have naturally acquired antibodies against PfSRA. Overall, the results demonstrate that PfSRA has the structural and functional characteristics of a very promising target for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Amlabu
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.,Department of Biochemistry, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria
| | - Henrietta Mensah-Brown
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Prince B Nyarko
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Ojo-Ajogu Akuh
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Grace Opoku
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Philip Ilani
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Richard Oyagbenro
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Kwame Asiedu
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Yaw Aniweh
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Gordon A Awandare
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
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5
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Karch CP, Doll TAPF, Paulillo SM, Nebie I, Lanar DE, Corradin G, Burkhard P. The use of a P. falciparum specific coiled-coil domain to construct a self-assembling protein nanoparticle vaccine to prevent malaria. J Nanobiotechnology 2017; 15:62. [PMID: 28877692 PMCID: PMC5588597 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-017-0295-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The parasitic disease malaria remains a major global public health concern and no truly effective vaccine exists. One approach to the development of a malaria vaccine is to target the asexual blood stage that results in clinical symptoms. Most attempts have failed. New antigens such as P27A and P27 have emerged as potential new vaccine candidates. Multiple studies have demonstrated that antigens are more immunogenic and are better correlated with protection when presented on particulate delivery systems. One such particulate delivery system is the self-assembling protein nanoparticle (SAPN) that relies on coiled-coil domains of proteins to form stable nanoparticles. In the past we have used de novo designed amino acid domains to drive the formation of the coiled-coil scaffolds which present the antigenic epitopes on the particle surface. Results Here we use naturally occurring domains found in the tex1 protein to form the coiled-coil scaffolding of the nanoparticle. Thus, by engineering P27A and a new extended form of the coiled-coil domain P27 onto the N and C terminus of the SAPN protein monomer we have developed a particulate delivery system that effectively displays both antigens on a single particle that uses malaria tex1 sequences to form the nanoparticle scaffold. These particles are immunogenic in a murine model and induce immune responses similar to the ones observed in seropositive individuals in malaria endemic regions. Conclusions We demonstrate that our P27/P27A-SAPNs induce an immune response akin to the one in seropositive individuals in Burkina Faso. Since P27 is highly conserved among different Plasmodium species, these novel SAPNs may even provide cross-protection between Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax the two major human malaria pathogens. As the SAPNs are also easy to manufacture and store they can be delivered to the population in need without complication thus providing a low cost malaria vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Karch
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-3136, USA
| | - Tais A P F Doll
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-3136, USA
| | | | - Issa Nebie
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, 01 BP 2208, Ouagadougou, West Africa, Burkina Faso
| | - David E Lanar
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, USMMRP-WRAIR, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Giampietro Corradin
- Biochemistry Department, University of Lausanne, 1066, Epalinges, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Burkhard
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-3136, USA. .,Alpha-O Peptides AG, 4125, Riehen, Switzerland. .,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-3125, USA.
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6
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Natural immune response to Plasmodium vivax alpha-helical coiled coil protein motifs and its association with the risk of P. vivax malaria. PLoS One 2017. [PMID: 28651021 PMCID: PMC5484505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein α-helical coiled coil structures are known to induce antibodies able to block critical functions in different pathogens. In a previous study, a total of 50 proteins of Plasmodium vivax erythrocytic asexual stages containing α-helical coiled coil structural motifs were identified in silico, and the corresponding peptides were chemically synthesized. A total of 43 peptides were recognized by naturally acquired antibodies in plasma samples from both Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Colombian adult donors. In this study, the association between IgG antibodies to these peptides and clinical immunity was further explored by measuring total IgG antibody levels to 24 peptides in baseline samples from a longitudinal study of children aged 1–3 years (n = 164) followed for 16 months. Samples were reactive to all peptides tested. Eight peptides were recognized by >50% of individuals, whereas only one peptide had < 20% reactivity. Children infected at baseline were seropositive to 23/24 peptides. No significant association was observed between antibody titers and age or molecular force of infection, suggesting that antibody levels had already reached an equilibrium. There was a strong association between antibody levels to all peptides and protection against P. vivax clinical episodes during the 16 months follow-up. These results suggest that the selected coiled coil antigens might be good markers of both exposure and acquired immunity to P. vivax malaria, and further preclinical investigation should be performed to determine their potential as P. vivax vaccine antigens.
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7
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Singh P, Mirdha BR, Srinivasan A, Rukmangadachar LA, Singh S, Sharma P, Hariprasad G, Gururao H, Luthra K. Identification of invasion proteins of Cryptosporidium parvum. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 31:1923-34. [PMID: 26492887 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-015-1936-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Host cell interactions and invasion by Cryptosporidium is a complex process mediated by zoites ligand-host cell receptors. Knowledge of proteins involved in this process will enable entry level inhibitors to be tried as therapeutic agents. In the present study, invasion proteins of Cryptosporidium parvum were studied in vitro. Cryptosporidium sporozoites membrane proteins were isolated and Cy5 dye labelled. They were then allowed to interact with the intact host cells. The interacting proteins were identified using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry analysis. Sixty-one proteins were identified including twenty-seven previously reported invasion proteins. The newly identified proteins such as serine/threonine protein kinase, PI4 kinase, Hsp105 and coiled coil may have their roles in the parasitic invasion process. Thus, a new approach was used in the study to identify the probable proteins involved in invasion and/or host-parasite interactions. The advantage of this method is that it takes only a months' time instead of decades to identify these proteins involved in invasion process.
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Han JH, Li J, Wang B, Lee SK, Nyunt MH, Na S, Park JH, Han ET. Identification of Immunodominant B-cell Epitope Regions of Reticulocyte Binding Proteins in Plasmodium vivax by Protein Microarray Based Immunoscreening. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2015; 53:403-11. [PMID: 26323838 PMCID: PMC4566507 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.4.403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2015] [Revised: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum can invade all stages of red blood cells, while Plasmodium vivax can invade only reticulocytes. Although many P. vivax proteins have been discovered, their functions are largely unknown. Among them, P. vivax reticulocyte binding proteins (PvRBP1 and PvRBP2) recognize and bind to reticulocytes. Both proteins possess a C-terminal hydrophobic transmembrane domain, which drives adhesion to reticulocytes. PvRBP1 and PvRBP2 are large (> 326 kDa), which hinders identification of the functional domains. In this study, the complete genome information of the P. vivax RBP family was thoroughly analyzed using a prediction server with bioinformatics data to predict B-cell epitope domains. Eleven pvrbp family genes that included 2 pseudogenes and 9 full or partial length genes were selected and used to express recombinant proteins in a wheat germ cell-free system. The expressed proteins were used to evaluate the humoral immune response with vivax malaria patients and healthy individual serum samples by protein microarray. The recombinant fragments of 9 PvRBP proteins were successfully expressed; the soluble proteins ranged in molecular weight from 16 to 34 kDa. Evaluation of the humoral immune response to each recombinant PvRBP protein indicated a high antigenicity, with 38-88% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Of them, N-terminal parts of PvRBP2c (PVX_090325-1) and PvRBP2 like partial A (PVX_090330-1) elicited high antigenicity. In addition, the PvRBP2-like homologue B (PVX_116930) fragment was newly identified as high antigenicity and may be exploited as a potential antigenic candidate among the PvRBP family. The functional activity of the PvRBP family on merozoite invasion remains unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Hee Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.,Department of Parasitology, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Seong-Kyun Lee
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea
| | - Myat Htut Nyunt
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.,Department of Medical Research, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Sunghun Na
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea
| | - Jeong-Hyun Park
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea
| | - Eun-Taek Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea
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9
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Céspedes N, Habel C, Lopez-Perez M, Castellanos A, Kajava AV, Servis C, Felger I, Moret R, Arévalo-Herrera M, Corradin G, Herrera S. Plasmodium vivax antigen discovery based on alpha-helical coiled coil protein motif. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100440. [PMID: 24959747 PMCID: PMC4069070 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein α-helical coiled coil structures that elicit antibody responses, which block critical functions of medically important microorganisms, represent a means for vaccine development. By using bioinformatics algorithms, a total of 50 antigens with α-helical coiled coil motifs orthologous to Plasmodium falciparum were identified in the P. vivax genome. The peptides identified in silico were chemically synthesized; circular dichroism studies indicated partial or high α-helical content. Antigenicity was evaluated using human sera samples from malaria-endemic areas of Colombia and Papua New Guinea. Eight of these fragments were selected and used to assess immunogenicity in BALB/c mice. ELISA assays indicated strong reactivity of serum samples from individuals residing in malaria-endemic regions and sera of immunized mice, with the α-helical coiled coil structures. In addition, ex vivo production of IFN-γ by murine mononuclear cells confirmed the immunogenicity of these structures and the presence of T-cell epitopes in the peptide sequences. Moreover, sera of mice immunized with four of the eight antigens recognized native proteins on blood-stage P. vivax parasites, and antigenic cross-reactivity with three of the peptides was observed when reacted with both the P. falciparum orthologous fragments and whole parasites. Results here point to the α-helical coiled coil peptides as possible P. vivax malaria vaccine candidates as were observed for P. falciparum. Fragments selected here warrant further study in humans and non-human primate models to assess their protective efficacy as single components or assembled as hybrid linear epitopes.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Motifs
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan/immunology
- Antigens, Protozoan/chemistry
- Antigens, Protozoan/genetics
- Antigens, Protozoan/immunology
- Circular Dichroism
- Computational Biology
- Cross Reactions/immunology
- Databases, Genetic
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/chemistry
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Female
- Genome, Protozoan
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/immunology
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular
- Immunoglobulin G/blood
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Mice
- Peptides/chemistry
- Peptides/immunology
- Plasmodium vivax/genetics
- Plasmodium vivax/immunology
- Protein Structure, Secondary
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Céspedes
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center (MVDC), Cali, Colombia
- School of Health, University of Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Catherine Habel
- Biochemistry Department, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | | | - Angélica Castellanos
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center (MVDC), Cali, Colombia
- Fundación Centro de Primates, Cali, Colombia
| | - Andrey V. Kajava
- Centre de Recherches de Biochimie Macromoleculaire (CRBM) and Institut de Biologie Computationnelle (IBC), CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- University ITMO, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Catherine Servis
- Biochemistry Department, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Ingrid Felger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Remy Moret
- Hôpital Saint Camille, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Myriam Arévalo-Herrera
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center (MVDC), Cali, Colombia
- School of Health, University of Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - Sócrates Herrera
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center (MVDC), Cali, Colombia
- Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia
- * E-mail:
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10
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Céspedes N, Vallejo A, Arévalo-Herrera M, Herrera S. Malaria vaccines: high-throughput tools for antigens discovery with potential for their development. Colomb Med (Cali) 2013; 44:121-8. [PMID: 24892459 PMCID: PMC4002024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2012] [Revised: 09/20/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a disease induced by parasites of the Plasmodium genus, which are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes and represents a great socio-economic burden Worldwide. Plasmodium vivax is the second species of malaria Worldwide, but it is the most prevalent in Latin America and other regions of the planet. It is currently considered that vaccines represent a cost-effective strategy for controlling transmissible diseases and could complement other malaria control measures; however, the chemical and immunological complexity of the parasite has hindered development of effective vaccines. Recent availability of several genomes of Plasmodium species, as well as bioinformatic tools are allowing the selection of large numbers of proteins and analysis of their immune potential. Herein, we review recently developed strategies for discovery of novel antigens with potential for malaria vaccine development.
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Cai H, Zhou Z, Gu J, Wang Y. Comparative Genomics and Systems Biology of Malaria Parasites Plasmodium.. Curr Bioinform 2012; 7. [PMID: 24298232 DOI: 10.2174/157489312803900965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a serious infectious disease that causes over one million deaths yearly. It is caused by a group of protozoan parasites in the genus Plasmodium. No effective vaccine is currently available and the elevated levels of resistance to drugs in use underscore the pressing need for novel antimalarial targets. In this review, we survey omics centered developments in Plasmodium biology, which have set the stage for a quantum leap in our understanding of the fundamental processes of the parasite life cycle and mechanisms of drug resistance and immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Cai
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
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Cell biological characterization of the malaria vaccine candidate trophozoite exported protein 1. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46112. [PMID: 23056243 PMCID: PMC3466242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2011] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In a genome-wide screen for alpha-helical coiled coil motifs aiming at structurally defined vaccine candidates we identified PFF0165c. This protein is exported in the trophozoite stage and was named accordingly Trophozoite exported protein 1 (Tex1). In an extensive preclinical evaluation of its coiled coil peptides Tex1 was identified as promising novel malaria vaccine candidate providing the rational for a comprehensive cell biological characterization of Tex1. Antibodies generated against an intrinsically unstructured N-terminal region of Tex1 and against a coiled coil domain were used to investigate cytological localization, solubility and expression profile. Co-localization experiments revealed that Tex1 is exported across the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and located to Maurer's clefts. Change in location is accompanied by a change in solubility: from a soluble state within the parasite to a membrane-associated state after export to Maurer's clefts. No classical export motifs such as PEXEL, signal sequence/anchor or transmembrane domain was identified for Tex1.
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Malaria vaccine candidate: design of a multivalent subunit α-helical coiled coil poly-epitope. Vaccine 2011; 29:7090-9. [PMID: 21803099 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.06.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2011] [Revised: 06/24/2011] [Accepted: 06/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A new strategy for the rapid identification of new malaria antigens based on protein structural motifs was previously described. We identified and evaluated the malaria vaccine potential of fragments of several malaria antigens containing α-helical coiled coil protein motifs. By taking advantage of the relatively short size of these structural fragments, we constructed different poly-epitopes in which 3 or 4 of these segments were joined together via a non-immunogenic linker. Only peptides that are targets of human antibodies with anti-parasite in vitro biological activities were incorporated. One of the constructs, P181, was well recognized by sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of adults living in malaria-endemic areas. Affinity purified antigen-specific human antibodies and sera from P181-immunized mice recognised native proteins on malaria-infected erythrocytes in both immunofluorescence and western blot assays. In addition, specific antibodies inhibited parasite development in an antibody dependent cellular inhibition (ADCI) assay. Naturally induced antigen-specific human antibodies were at high titers and associated with clinical protection from malaria in longitudinal follow-up studies in Senegal.
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Species specific amino acid sequence–protein local structure relationships: An analysis in the light of a structural alphabet. J Theor Biol 2011; 276:209-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2011.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2010] [Revised: 01/28/2011] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Strain-transcending Fc-dependent killing of Plasmodium falciparum by merozoite surface protein 2 allele-specific human antibodies. Infect Immun 2010; 79:1143-52. [PMID: 21189324 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01034-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that antibody responses against the human parasitic pathogen Plasmodium falciparum protect the host from the rigors of severe malaria and death. However, there is a continuing need for the development of in vitro correlate assays of immune protection. To this end, the capacity of human monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in eliciting phagocytosis and parasite growth inhibition via Fcγ receptor-dependent mechanisms was explored. In examining the extent to which sequence diversity in merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) results in the evasion of antibody responses, an unexpectedly high level of heterologous function was measured for allele-specific human antibodies. The dependence on Fcγ receptors for opsonic phagocytosis and monocyte-mediated antibody-dependent parasite inhibition was demonstrated by the mutation of the Fc domain of monoclonal antibodies against both MSP2 and a novel vaccine candidate, peptide 27 from the gene PFF0165c. The described flow cytometry-based functional assays are expected to be useful for assessing immunity in naturally infected and vaccinated individuals and for prioritizing among blood-stage antigens for inclusion in blood-stage vaccines.
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Garcia J, Curtidor H, Obando-Martinez AZ, Vizcaíno C, Pinto M, Martinez NL, Patarroyo MA, Patarroyo ME. Synthetic peptides from conserved regions of the Plasmodium falciparum early transcribed membrane and ring exported proteins bind specifically to red blood cell proteins. Vaccine 2009; 27:6877-86. [PMID: 19755146 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2009] [Revised: 08/25/2009] [Accepted: 09/01/2009] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Severe malaria pathology is directly associated with cytoadherence of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) to healthy RBCs and/or endothelial cells occurring during the intraerythrocytic development of Plasmodium falciparum. We synthesized, as 20-mer long peptides, the members of the ring exported (REX) protein family encoded in chromosome 9, as well as the early transcribed membrane proteins (E-TRAMP) 10.2 and 4, to identify specific RBC binding regions in these proteins. Twelve binding peptides were identified (designated as HABPs): three were identified in REX1, two in REX2, one in REX3, two in REX4 and four in E-TRAMP 10.2. The majority of these HABPs was conserved among different P. falciparum strains, according to sequence analysis. No HABPs were found in E-TRAMP 4. Bindings of HABPs were saturable and sensitive to the enzymatic treatment of RBCs and HABPs had different structural features, according to circular dichroism studies. Our results suggest that the REX and E-TRAMP families participate in relevant interactions with RBC membrane proteins, which highlight these proteins as potential targets for the development of fully effective immunoprophylactic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeison Garcia
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia FIDIC, Carrera 50 No. 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia
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