1
|
Nazareth T, Seixas G, Lourenço J, Bettencourt PJG. Aedes albopictus arrives in Lisbon: an emerging public health threat. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1332334. [PMID: 38169710 PMCID: PMC10758473 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1332334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Nazareth
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rio de Mouro, Portugal
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rio de Mouro, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Seixas
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (IHMT/UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Lourenço
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rio de Mouro, Portugal
- Católica Biomedical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rio de Mouro, Portugal
- Climate Amplified Diseases and Epidemics (CLIMADE), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paulo J. G. Bettencourt
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rio de Mouro, Portugal
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rio de Mouro, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Assawapanumat W, Roobsoong W, Chotivanich K, Sattabongkot J, Kampaengtip A, Sungkarat W, Sunintaboon P, Nasongkla N. In Vitro Tracking of Sporozoites via Fluorescence Imaging and MRI Using Multifunctional Micelles. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:5324-5332. [PMID: 38039355 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00596] [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] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Early detection could increase the treatment efficiency and prevent the recurrence of malaria disease. To track and detect malarial sporozoites, novel drug delivery systems have been explored for their ability to target these parasites specifically. This study investigates the potential of micelles to track Plasmodium vivax by targeting the Plasmodium vivax hexose transporter using glucose-based interactions. In vitro experiments were conducted using glucose/SPIO/Nile red (targeted) micelles and methoxy/SPIO/Nile red (nontargeted) micelles, revealing that the targeted micelles exhibited stronger fluorescence with the sporozoites and higher relative R2* values compared to the nontargeted micelles. These findings suggest that targeted micelles could be used for the specific detection of Plasmodium sporozoites using fluorescence imaging and MRI techniques, offering a promising approach for efficient malaria parasite detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wirat Assawapanumat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Wanlapa Roobsoong
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Adun Kampaengtip
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Witaya Sungkarat
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Faculty of Health Science Technology, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Panya Sunintaboon
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Norased Nasongkla
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Faloye KO, Tripathi MK, Fakola EG, Adepiti AO, Adesida SA, Oyeleke IO, Adebayo PA, Aregbesola AE, Famuyiwa SO, Akinyele OF. Plasmepsin II inhibitory potential of phytochemicals isolated from African antimalarial plants: a computational approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37968884 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2283146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Plamepsin II has been identified as a therapeutic target in the Plasmodium falciparum's life cycle and may lead to a drastic reduction in deaths caused by malaria worldwide. Africa flora is rich in medicinal qualities and possesses both simple and complex bioactive phytochemicals. This study utilized computational approaches like molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, quantum chemical calculations and ADMET to evaluate the plasmepsin II inhibitory properties of phytochemicals isolated from African antimalarial plants. Molecular docking was carried out to estimate the binding affinity of 229 phytochemicals whereby ekeberin A, dichamanetin, 10-hydroxyusambaresine, chamuvaritin and diuvaretin were selected. Further, RMSD and RMSF plots from the 100 ns simulation results showed that the screened phytochemicals were stable in the enzyme's binding pocket. The quantum chemical calculation revealed that all the phytochemicals are strong electrophiles, while ekeberin A was identified as the most stable and dichamanetin as the most reactive. Also, ADMET studies established the drug candidacy of the phytochemicals. Thus, these phytochemicals could act as good antimalarial agents after extensive in vitro and in vivo studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kolade O Faloye
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Manish Kumar Tripathi
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, India
| | - Emmanuel G Fakola
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Awodayo O Adepiti
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Stephen A Adesida
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Ibukun O Oyeleke
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Praise A Adebayo
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Adeola E Aregbesola
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Samson O Famuyiwa
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Olawale F Akinyele
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pendyala G, Calvo‐Calle JM, Moreno A, Kane RS. A multivalent Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein-based nanoparticle malaria vaccine elicits a robust and durable antibody response against the junctional epitope and the major repeats. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10514. [PMID: 37476056 PMCID: PMC10354751 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria continues to cause considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is a particularly attractive candidate for designing vaccines that target sporozoites-the first vertebrate stage in a malaria infection. Current PfCSP-based vaccines, however, do not include epitopes that have recently been shown to be the target of potent neutralizing antibodies. We report the design of a SpyCatcher-mi3-nanoparticle-based vaccine presenting multiple copies of a chimeric PfCSP (cPfCSP) antigen that incorporates these important "T1/junctional" epitopes as well as a reduced number of (NANP)n repeats. cPfCSP-SpyCatcher-mi3 was immunogenic in mice eliciting high and durable IgG antibody levels as well as a balanced antibody response against the T1/junctional region and the (NANP)n repeats. Notably, the antibody concentration elicited by immunization was significantly greater than the reported protective threshold defined in a murine challenge model. Refocusing the immune response toward functionally relevant subdominant epitopes to induce a more balanced and durable immune response may enable the design of a more effective second generation PfCSP-based vaccine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geetanjali Pendyala
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular EngineeringGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgia30332USA
| | - J. Mauricio Calvo‐Calle
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusetts01655USA
| | - Alberto Moreno
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory National Primate Research CenterEmory UniversityAtlantaGeorgia30329USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of MedicineEmory UniversityAtlantaGeorgia30303USA
| | - Ravi S. Kane
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular EngineeringGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgia30332USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgia30332USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Khurana J, Shrivastava A, Singh A, Gupta A. Exploring potential of Plasmodium RUVBL proteins as anti-malarial drug target. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:736-752. [PMID: 34877896 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.2011418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Although malaria related cases and deaths have consistently declined over time, growing resistance to existing anti-malarial drugs in Plasmodium remains a matter of extreme concern. Since we rely so heavily on use of chemotherapy for malaria treatment and knowing that all the available anti-malarial drug will become virtually useless in the near future, we have to increase our understanding of basic biology of the parasite as well as characterize new molecular targets that can be exploited for anti-malarial therapy. In the present study, PfRUVBLs (AAA family member proteins) were evaluated for their potential as novel anti-malarial drug target candidates, using computational approaches. Virtual High-throughput screening of various pharmacophore libraries obtained from three different databases (which included, Asinex, ZINC15 & PubChem) followed by extra precision docking, resulted in identification of relevant hit compounds that showed binding affinity with the active region of PfRUVBL1 protein. Based on molecular docking data, MD simulations, and protein-ligand interaction studies, combined with toxicity assessment & ADME profiling data, at least three best hits were eventually identified that could be novel potent inhibitors of PfRUVBL1 protein and can be further tested for anti-malarial activity using in vitro protocols. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juhi Khurana
- Epigenetics and Human Disease Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Ashish Shrivastava
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Ashutosh Singh
- Bioinformatics Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Ashish Gupta
- Epigenetics and Human Disease Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chandley P, Ranjan R, Kumar S, Rohatgi S. Host-parasite interactions during Plasmodium infection: Implications for immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1091961. [PMID: 36685595 PMCID: PMC9845897 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1091961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a global infectious disease that remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Multiple environmental and host and parasite factors govern the clinical outcomes of malaria. The host immune response against the Plasmodium parasite is heterogenous and stage-specific both in the human host and mosquito vector. The Plasmodium parasite virulence is predominantly associated with its ability to evade the host's immune response. Despite the availability of drug-based therapies, Plasmodium parasites can acquire drug resistance due to high antigenic variations and allelic polymorphisms. The lack of licensed vaccines against Plasmodium infection necessitates the development of effective, safe and successful therapeutics. To design an effective vaccine, it is important to study the immune evasion strategies and stage-specific Plasmodium proteins, which are targets of the host immune response. This review provides an overview of the host immune defense mechanisms and parasite immune evasion strategies during Plasmodium infection. Furthermore, we also summarize and discuss the current progress in various anti-malarial vaccine approaches, along with antibody-based therapy involving monoclonal antibodies, and research advancements in host-directed therapy, which can together open new avenues for developing novel immunotherapies against malaria infection and transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Chandley
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India
| | - Ravikant Ranjan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Soma Rohatgi
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India,*Correspondence: Soma Rohatgi,
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Connelley T, Nicastri A, Sheldrake T, Vrettou C, Fisch A, Reynisson B, Buus S, Hill A, Morrison I, Nielsen M, Ternette N. Immunopeptidomic Analysis of BoLA-I and BoLA-DR Presented Peptides from Theileria parva Infected Cells. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10111907. [PMID: 36423003 PMCID: PMC9699068 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Theileria parva is the causative agent of East Coast fever, usually a fatal disease for cattle, which is prevalent in large areas of eastern, central, and southern Africa. Protective immunity against T. parva is mediated by CD8+ T cells, with CD4+ T-cells thought to be important in facilitating the full maturation and development of the CD8+ T-cell response. T. parva has a large proteome, with >4000 protein-coding genes, making T-cell antigen identification using conventional screening approaches laborious and expensive. To date, only a limited number of T-cell antigens have been described. Novel approaches for identifying candidate antigens for T. parva are required to replace and/or complement those currently employed. In this study, we report on the use of immunopeptidomics to study the repertoire of T. parva peptides presented by both BoLA-I and BoLA-DR molecules on infected cells. The study reports on peptides identified from the analysis of 13 BoLA-I and 6 BoLA-DR datasets covering a range of different BoLA genotypes. This represents the most comprehensive immunopeptidomic dataset available for any eukaryotic pathogen to date. Examination of the immunopeptidome data suggested the presence of a large number of coprecipitated and non-MHC-binding peptides. As part of the work, a pipeline to curate the datasets to remove these peptides was developed and used to generate a final list of 74 BoLA-I and 15 BoLA-DR-presented peptides. Together, the data demonstrated the utility of immunopeptidomics as a method to identify novel T-cell antigens for T. parva and the importance of careful curation and the application of high-quality immunoinformatics to parse the data generated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Connelley
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Science, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Annalisa Nicastri
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Tara Sheldrake
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Science, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Christina Vrettou
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Science, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Andressa Fisch
- Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Av Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto 3900, Brazil
| | - Birkir Reynisson
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Soren Buus
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Adrian Hill
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Ivan Morrison
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Science, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Morten Nielsen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, San Martín CP1650, Argentina
| | - Nicola Ternette
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kumari G, Jain R, Kumar Sah R, Kalia I, Vashistha M, Singh P, Prasad Singh A, Samby K, Burrows J, Singh S. Multistage and transmission-blocking tubulin targeting potent antimalarial discovered from the open access MMV pathogen box. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 203:115154. [PMID: 35798201 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The development of resistance to current antimalarial therapies remains a significant source of concern. To address this risk,newdrugswithnoveltargetsin distinct developmental stages ofPlasmodiumparasites are required. In the current study,we have targetedP. falciparumTubulin(PfTubulin)proteins which represent some of thepotentialdrug targetsfor malaria chemotherapy. PlasmodialMicrotubules (MTs) play a crucial role during parasite proliferation, growth, and transmission, which render them highlydesirabletargets for the development ofnext-generation chemotherapeutics. Towards this,we have evaluated the antimalarial activity ofTubulintargetingcompounds received from theMedicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)"Pathogen Box"against the human malaria parasite,P. falciparumincluding 3D7 (chloroquine and artemisinin sensitive strain), RKL-9 (chloroquine-resistant strain), and R539T (artemisinin-resistant strain). At nanomolar concentrations, the filtered-out compounds exhibitedpronouncedmultistage antimalarialeffects across the parasite life cycle, including intra-erythrocytic blood stages, liver stage parasites, gametocytes, and ookinetes. Concomitantly, these compoundswere found toimpedemale gamete ex-flagellation, thus showingtheir transmission-blocking potential. Target mining of these potent compounds, by combining in silico, biochemical and biophysical assays,implicatedPfTubulinas their moleculartarget, which may possibly act bydisruptingMT assembly dynamics by binding at the interface of α-βTubulin-dimer.Further, the promising ADME profile of the parent scaffold supported its consideration as a lead compound for further development.Thus, our work highlights the potential of targetingPfTubulin proteins in discovering and developing next-generation, multistage antimalarial agents against Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) malaria parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geeta Kumari
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Ravi Jain
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Raj Kumar Sah
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | - Manu Vashistha
- Advanced Instrumentation Research Facility, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Pooja Singh
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | | | | | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Arias CF, Acosta FJ, Fernandez-Arias C. Killing the competition: a theoretical framework for liver-stage malaria. Open Biol 2022; 12:210341. [PMID: 35350863 PMCID: PMC8965401 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The first stage of malaria infections takes place inside the host's hepatocytes. Remarkably, Plasmodium parasites do not infect hepatocytes immediately after reaching the liver. Instead, they migrate through several hepatocytes before infecting their definitive host cells, thus increasing their chances of immune destruction. Considering that malaria can proceed normally without cell traversal, this is indeed a puzzling behaviour. In fact, the role of hepatocyte traversal remains unknown to date, implying that the current understanding of malaria is incomplete. In this work, we hypothesize that the parasites traverse hepatocytes to actively trigger an immune response in the host. This behaviour would be part of a strategy of superinfection exclusion aimed to reduce intraspecific competition during the blood stage of the infection. Based on this hypothesis, we formulate a comprehensive theory of liver-stage malaria that integrates all the available knowledge about the infection. The interest of this new paradigm is not merely theoretical. It highlights major issues in the current empirical approach to the study of Plasmodium and suggests new strategies to fight malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clemente F. Arias
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain,Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos de Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Cristina Fernandez-Arias
- Departamento de Inmunología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain,Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wahl I, Wardemann H. How to induce protective humoral immunity against Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein. J Exp Med 2022; 219:212951. [PMID: 35006242 PMCID: PMC8754000 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20201313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The induction of protective humoral immune responses against sporozoite surface proteins of the human parasite Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is a prime goal in the development of a preerythrocytic malaria vaccine. The most promising antibody target is circumsporozoite protein (CSP). Although PfCSP induces strong humoral immune responses upon vaccination, vaccine efficacy is overall limited and not durable. Here, we review recent efforts to gain a better molecular and cellular understanding of anti-PfCSP B cell responses in humans and discuss ways to overcome limitations in the induction of stable titers of high-affinity antibodies that might help to increase vaccine efficacy and promote long-lived protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Wahl
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hedda Wardemann
- B Cell Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Parreira KS, Scarpelli P, Rezende Lima W, Garcia RS. Contribution of Transcriptome to Elucidate the Biology of Plasmodium spp. Curr Top Med Chem 2022; 22:169-187. [PMID: 35021974 DOI: 10.2174/1568026622666220111140803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In the present review, we discuss some of the new technologies that have been applied to elucidate how Plasmodium spp escape from the immune system and subvert the host physiology to orchestrate the regulation of its biological pathways. Our manuscript describes how techniques such as microarray approaches, RNA-Seq and single-cell RNA sequencing have contributed to the discovery of transcripts and changed the concept of gene expression regulation in closely related malaria parasite species. Moreover, the text highlights the contributions of high-throughput RNA sequencing for the current knowledge of malaria parasite biology, physiology, vaccine target and the revelation of new players in parasite signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pedro Scarpelli
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wânia Rezende Lima
- Departamento de Medicina, Instituto de Biotecnologia-Universidade Federal de Catalão
| | - R S Garcia
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Takashima E, Tachibana M, Morita M, Nagaoka H, Kanoi BN, Tsuboi T. Identification of Novel Malaria Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Candidates. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:805482. [PMID: 34917521 PMCID: PMC8670312 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.805482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Control measures have significantly reduced malaria morbidity and mortality in the last two decades; however, the downward trends have stalled and have become complicated by the emergence of COVID-19. Significant efforts have been made to develop malaria vaccines, but currently only the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum has been recommended by the WHO, for widespread use among children in sub-Saharan Africa. The efficacy of RTS,S/AS01 is modest, and therefore the development of more efficacious vaccines is still needed. In addition, the development of transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) to reduce the parasite transmission from humans to mosquitoes is required toward the goal of malaria elimination. Few TBVs have reached clinical development, and challenges include low immunogenicity or high reactogenicity in humans. Therefore, novel approaches to accelerate TBV research and development are urgently needed, especially novel TBV candidate discovery. In this mini review we summarize the progress in TBV research and development, novel TBV candidate discovery, and discuss how to accelerate novel TBV candidate discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eizo Takashima
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Mayumi Tachibana
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | - Masayuki Morita
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Hikaru Nagaoka
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Bernard N Kanoi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Identification of immunodominant epitopes in allelic variants VK210 and VK247 of Plasmodium Vivax Circumsporozoite immunogen. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 96:105120. [PMID: 34655808 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax-induced malaria is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-tropical and tropical regions and infect 2.85 billion people globally. The continual rise and propagation of resistance against anti-malarial drugs is a prerequisite to develop a potent vaccine candidate for Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax). Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is an important immunogen of malaria parasite that has the conserved CSP structure as an immune dominant B-cell epitope. In current study, we focused on designing multi-epitope vaccines (MEVs) using various immunoinformatics tools against Pakistani based allelic variants VK210 and VK247 of P. vivax CSP (PvCSP) gene. Antigenicity, allergic potential and physicochemical parameters of both PvCSP variants were assessed for the designed MEVs and they were within acceptable range suitable for post experimental investigations. The three-dimensional structures of both MEVs have been predicted ab initio, optimized, and validated by using different online servers. The both MEVs candidates were stable and free from aggregation-prone regions. The stability of both MEVs had been improved by a disulfide engineering approach. To estimate the binding energy and stability of the MEVs, molecular docking simulation and binding free energy calculations with TLR-4 immune receptor have been conducted. The docking score of PvCSP210 and PvCSP247 for TLR-4 was -6.34 kJ/mol and - 2.3 kJ/mol, respectively. For PvCSP210-TLR4 system, mean RMSD was 4.96 Å while PvCSP247-TLR4 system, average RMSD was 4.49 Å. The binding free energy of PvCSP210-TLR4 complex and PvCSP247-TLR4 complex was -50.49/-117.15 kcal/mol (MMGBSA/MMPSA) and -52.94/-96.26 kcal/mol (MMGBSA/MMPSA), respectively. The expression of both MEVs produced in Escherichia coli K12 expression system by in silico cloning was significant. Immune simulation revealed that the proposed MEVs induce strong humoral and cellular immunological responses, in addition to significant production of interleukins and cytokines. In conclusions, we believed that the MEVs proposed in current research, using combine approach of immunoinformatics, structural biology and biophysical approaches, could induce protective and effective immune responses against P. vivax and the experimental validation of our findings could contribute to the development of potential malaria vaccine.
Collapse
|
14
|
Celis-Giraldo CT, López-Abán J, Muro A, Patarroyo MA, Manzano-Román R. Nanovaccines against Animal Pathogens: The Latest Findings. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9090988. [PMID: 34579225 PMCID: PMC8472905 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9090988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, safe and efficacious vaccines represent powerful and cost-effective tools for global health and economic growth. In the veterinary field, these are undoubtedly key tools for improving productivity and fighting zoonoses. However, cases of persistent infections, rapidly evolving pathogens having high variability or emerging/re-emerging pathogens for which no effective vaccines have been developed point out the continuing need for new vaccine alternatives to control outbreaks. Most licensed vaccines have been successfully used for many years now; however, they have intrinsic limitations, such as variable efficacy, adverse effects, and some shortcomings. More effective adjuvants and novel delivery systems may foster real vaccine effectiveness and timely implementation. Emerging vaccine technologies involving nanoparticles such as self-assembling proteins, virus-like particles, liposomes, virosomes, and polymeric nanoparticles offer novel, safe, and high-potential approaches to address many vaccine development-related challenges. Nanotechnology is accelerating the evolution of vaccines because nanomaterials having encapsulation ability and very advantageous properties due to their size and surface area serve as effective vehicles for antigen delivery and immunostimulatory agents. This review discusses the requirements for an effective, broad-coverage-elicited immune response, the main nanoplatforms for producing it, and the latest nanovaccine applications for fighting animal pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Teresa Celis-Giraldo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá 111321, Colombia;
- Animal Science Faculty, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A), Bogotá 111166, Colombia
| | - Julio López-Abán
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (J.L.-A.); (A.M.)
| | - Antonio Muro
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (J.L.-A.); (A.M.)
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá 111321, Colombia;
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
- Health Sciences Division, Main Campus, Universidad Santo Tomás, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
- Correspondence: (M.A.P.); (R.M.-R.)
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (J.L.-A.); (A.M.)
- Correspondence: (M.A.P.); (R.M.-R.)
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kolli SK, Salman AM, Ramesar J, Chevalley-Maurel S, Kroeze H, Geurten FGA, Miyazaki S, Mukhopadhyay E, Marin-Mogollon C, Franke-Fayard B, Hill AVS, Janse CJ. Screening of viral-vectored P. falciparum pre-erythrocytic candidate vaccine antigens using chimeric rodent parasites. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254498. [PMID: 34252120 PMCID: PMC8274855 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To screen for additional vaccine candidate antigens of Plasmodium pre-erythrocytic stages, fourteen P. falciparum proteins were selected based on expression in sporozoites or their role in establishment of hepatocyte infection. For preclinical evaluation of immunogenicity of these proteins in mice, chimeric P. berghei sporozoites were created that express the P. falciparum proteins in sporozoites as an additional copy gene under control of the uis4 gene promoter. All fourteen chimeric parasites produced sporozoites but sporozoites of eight lines failed to establish a liver infection, indicating a negative impact of these P. falciparum proteins on sporozoite infectivity. Immunogenicity of the other six proteins (SPELD, ETRAMP10.3, SIAP2, SPATR, HT, RPL3) was analyzed by immunization of inbred BALB/c and outbred CD-1 mice with viral-vectored (ChAd63 or ChAdOx1, MVA) vaccines, followed by challenge with chimeric sporozoites. Protective immunogenicity was determined by analyzing parasite liver load and prepatent period of blood stage infection after challenge. Of the six proteins only SPELD immunized mice showed partial protection. We discuss both the low protective immunogenicity of these proteins in the chimeric rodent malaria challenge model and the negative effect on P. berghei sporozoite infectivity of several P. falciparum proteins expressed in the chimeric sporozoites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Kumar Kolli
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ahmed M. Salman
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jai Ramesar
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Hans Kroeze
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Fiona G. A. Geurten
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shinya Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ekta Mukhopadhyay
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Adrian V. S. Hill
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Chris J. Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Asghari A, Nourmohammadi H, Majidiani H, Shariatzadeh SA, Shams M, Montazeri F. In silico analysis and prediction of immunogenic epitopes for pre-erythrocytic proteins of the deadly Plasmodium falciparum. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 93:104985. [PMID: 34214673 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is the deadliest parasitic disease in tropical and subtropical areas around the world, with considerable morbidity and mortality, particularly due to the life-threatening Plasmodium falciparum. The present in silico investigation was performed to reveal the biophysical characteristics and immunogenic epitopes of the six pre-erythrocytic proteins of the P. falciparum using comprehensive immunoinformatics approaches. For this aim, different web servers were employed to predict subcellular localization, antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, physico-chemical properties, post-translational modification sites (PTMs), the presence of signal peptide and transmembrane domains. Moreover, the secondary and tertiary structures of the proteins were revealed followed by refinement and validations. Finally, NetCTL server was used to predict cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, followed by subsequent screening in terms of antigenicity and immunogenicity. Also, IEDB server was utilized to predict helper T-lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes, followed by screening regarding interferon gamma induction and population coverage. These proteins showed appropriate antigenicity, abundant PTMs as well as many CTL and HTL epitopes, which could be directed for future vaccination studies in the context of multi-epitope vaccine design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Asghari
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hassan Nourmohammadi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran; Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Majidiani
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Seyyed Ali Shariatzadeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
| | - Morteza Shams
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran; Student Research Committee, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
| | - Fattaneh Montazeri
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Juanes-Velasco P, Landeira-Viñuela A, Acebes-Fernandez V, Hernández ÁP, Garcia-Vaquero ML, Arias-Hidalgo C, Bareke H, Montalvillo E, Gongora R, Fuentes M. Deciphering Human Leukocyte Antigen Susceptibility Maps From Immunopeptidomics Characterization in Oncology and Infections. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:642583. [PMID: 34123866 PMCID: PMC8195621 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.642583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variability across the three major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes (human leukocyte antigen [HLA] A, B, and C) may affect susceptibility to many diseases such as cancer, auto-immune or infectious diseases. Individual genetic variation may help to explain different immune responses to microorganisms across a population. HLA typing can be fast and inexpensive; however, deciphering peptides loaded on MHC-I and II which are presented to T cells, require the design and development of high-sensitivity methodological approaches and subsequently databases. Hence, these novel strategies and databases could help in the generation of vaccines using these potential immunogenic peptides and in identifying high-risk HLA types to be prioritized for vaccination programs. Herein, the recent developments and approaches, in this field, focusing on the identification of immunogenic peptides have been reviewed and the next steps to promote their translation into biomedical and clinical practice are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Juanes-Velasco
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Alicia Landeira-Viñuela
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Vanessa Acebes-Fernandez
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ángela-Patricia Hernández
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Marina L. Garcia-Vaquero
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Carlota Arias-Hidalgo
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Halin Bareke
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Enrique Montalvillo
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rafael Gongora
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Fuentes
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-Nucleus, CIBERONC, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Proteomics Unit, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Mayer RL, Impens F. Immunopeptidomics for next-generation bacterial vaccine development. Trends Microbiol 2021; 29:1034-1045. [PMID: 34030969 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing global threat and alternative treatments substituting failing antibiotics are urgently needed. Vaccines are recognized as highly effective tools to mitigate antimicrobial resistance; however, the selection of bacterial antigens as vaccine candidates remains challenging. In recent years, advances in mass spectrometry-based proteomics have led to the development of so-called immunopeptidomics approaches that allow the untargeted discovery of bacterial epitopes that are presented on the surface of infected cells. Especially for intracellular bacterial pathogens, immunopeptidomics holds great promise to uncover antigens that can be encoded in viral vector- or nucleic acid-based vaccines. This review provides an overview of immunopeptidomics studies on intracellular bacterial pathogens and considers future directions and challenges in advancing towards next-generation vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rupert L Mayer
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Proteomics Core, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Francis Impens
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Proteomics Core, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Bibi Z, Fatima A, Rani R, Maqbool A, Khan S, Naz S, Waseem S. Genetic characterization of Plasmodium vivax isolates from Pakistan using circumsporozoite protein (pvcsp) and merozoite surface protein-1 (pvmsp-1) genes as genetic markers. Malar J 2021; 20:112. [PMID: 33632220 PMCID: PMC7908770 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03654-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium vivax contributes to over 70% malaria burden in Pakistan, but limited data exists on various aspects including genetic diversity of the parasite as compared to other parts of the world. Since the information about the genetic diversity of P. vivax assists to understand the population dynamics of the parasite, the current study was designed to understand population divergence of P. vivax in Pakistan using circumsporozoite protein (pvcsp) and merozoite surface protein-1 (pvmsp-1) genes as molecular markers. Methods The PCR for pvcsp and pvmsp-1 genes was carried out for 150 P. vivax isolates, followed by DNA sequencing of 35 and 30, respectively. Genetic diversity and polymorphism were analysed using ChromasPro, ClustalW, MEGA7, DnaSP v.5 and WebLogo programs. Results The PCR for pvcsp and pvmsp-1 genes was carried out for 150 P. vivax isolates and resulting the PCR products of 1100 bp for pvcsp and ~ 400 bp for pvmsp-1 genes, respectively. In the central-repeat region (CRR) of pvcsp gene, sequences comprised of four variable repeats of PRMs, out of which GDRADGQPA (PRM1), GDRAAGQPA (PRM2) were more extensively dispersed among the P. vivax isolates. Partial sequences (~ 400 bp) of block 2 of pvmsp-1 gene depicted high level of diversity. Conclusion The results revealed the polymorphism and genetic diversity especially at the CRR of pvcsp and block 2 of pvmsp-1 genes, respectively. The base-line data presented here warrants future studies to investigate more into the genetic diversity of P. vivax with large sample size from across the country for better understanding of population dynamics of P. vivax that will help to control malaria at individual and community level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zainab Bibi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Anam Fatima
- Department of Medicine, Polyclinic Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Rehana Rani
- Department of Life Sciences, Abasyn University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Maqbool
- Department of Molecular Biology, Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Samea Khan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shumaila Naz
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
| | - Shahid Waseem
- Alpha Genomics (Pvt) Ltd, Islamabad, Pakistan. .,ABO SCIENTIFIC, Dhamial Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Diversify and Conquer: The Vaccine Escapism of Plasmodium falciparum. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111748. [PMID: 33171746 PMCID: PMC7694999 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last century, a great deal of effort and resources have been poured into the development of vaccines to protect against malaria, particularly targeting the most widely spread and deadly species of the human-infecting parasites: Plasmodium falciparum. Many of the known proteins the parasite uses to invade human cells have been tested as vaccine candidates. However, precisely because of the importance and immune visibility of these proteins, they tend to be very diverse, and in many cases redundant, which limits their efficacy in vaccine development. With the advent of genomics and constantly improving sequencing technologies, an increasingly clear picture is emerging of the vast genomic diversity of parasites from different geographic areas. This diversity is distributed throughout the genome and includes most of the vaccine candidates tested so far, playing an important role in the low efficacy achieved. Genomics is a powerful tool to search for genes that comply with the most desirable attributes of vaccine targets, allowing us to evaluate function, immunogenicity and also diversity in the worldwide parasite populations. Even predicting how this diversity might evolve and spread in the future becomes possible, and can inform novel vaccine efforts.
Collapse
|