1
|
Singh SK, Thrane S, Chourasia BK, Teelen K, Graumans W, Stoter R, van Gemert GJ, van de Vegte-Bolmer MG, Nielsen MA, Salanti A, Sander AF, Sauerwein RW, Jore MM, Theisen M. Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 Fusion Proteins Elicit Strong Transmission-Blocking Antibody Responses Against Plasmodium falciparum. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1256. [PMID: 31231386 PMCID: PMC6560166 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 proteins are expressed during transmission from man to mosquito and are leading candidates for a malaria transmission blocking vaccine. Individually they generate transmission blocking (TB) antibodies in rodent models. Whether the single protein vaccines are suitable to use in field settings will primarily depend on their potency to elicit functional antibodies. We hypothesized that a combination of both proteins will be more potent than each protein individually. Therefore we designed chimeric proteins composed of fragments of both Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 as well as single protein fragments, and expressed these in Lactoccus lactis. Both the individual Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 fragments and chimeras elicited high levels of functional antibodies in mice. Importantly, one of the chimeric proteins elicited over threefold higher transmission blocking antibody responses than the single antigens alone. Furthermore the immunogenicity of one of the chimeras could be enhanced through coupling to a virus-like particle (VLP). Altogether these data support further clinical development of these novel constructs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susheel K Singh
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Susan Thrane
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bishwanath K Chourasia
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karina Teelen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Wouter Graumans
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rianne Stoter
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Morten A Nielsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ali Salanti
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Adam F Sander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Matthijs M Jore
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Michael Theisen
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Langenberg MCC, Wammes LJ, McCall MBB, Bijker EM, van Gemert GJ, Graumans W, van de Vegte-Bolmer MG, Teelen K, Hermsen CC, Koelewijn R, van Hellemond JJ, van Genderen PJJ, Sauerwein RW. Controlled Human Malaria Infection with Graded Numbers of Plasmodium falciparum NF135.C10- or NF166.C8-Infected Mosquitoes. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 99:709-712. [PMID: 30014816 PMCID: PMC6169176 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Controlled human malaria infections (CHMIs) with Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasites are well established. Exposure to five Pf (NF54)-infected Anopheles mosquitoes results in 100% infection rates in malaria-naïve volunteers. Recently Pf clones NF135.C10 and NF166.C8 were generated for application in CHMIs. Here, we tested the clinical infection rates of these clones, using graded numbers of Pf-infected mosquitoes. In a double-blind randomized trial, we exposed 24 malaria-naïve volunteers to bites from one, two, or five mosquitoes infected with NF135.C10 or NF166.C8. The primary endpoint was parasitemia by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. For both strains, bites by five infected mosquitoes resulted in parasitemia in 4/4 volunteers; 3/4 volunteers developed parasitemia after exposure to one or two infected mosquitoes infected with either clone. The prepatent period was 7.25 ± 4.0 days (median ± range). There were no serious adverse events and comparable clinical symptoms between all groups. These data confirm the eligibility of NF135.C10 and NF166.C8 for use in CHMI studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda J Wammes
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Institute for Tropical Diseases, Harbour Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew B B McCall
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Else M Bijker
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Graumans
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Karina Teelen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis C Hermsen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Koelewijn
- Institute for Tropical Diseases, Harbour Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap J van Hellemond
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Behet MC, Kurtovic L, van Gemert GJ, Haukes CM, Siebelink-Stoter R, Graumans W, van de Vegte-Bolmer MG, Scholzen A, Langereis JD, Diavatopoulos DA, Beeson JG, Sauerwein RW. The Complement System Contributes to Functional Antibody-Mediated Responses Induced by Immunization with Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Sporozoites. Infect Immun 2018; 86:e00920-17. [PMID: 29735521 PMCID: PMC6013677 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00920-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lasting and sterile homologous protection against malaria can be achieved by the exposure of malaria-naive volunteers under chemoprophylaxis to Plasmodium falciparum-infected mosquitoes (chemoprophylaxis and sporozoite [CPS] immunization). While CPS-induced antibodies neutralize sporozoite infectivity in vitro and in vivo, antibody-mediated effector mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether complement contributes to CPS-induced preerythrocytic immunity. Sera collected before and after CPS immunization in the presence of active or inactive complement were assessed for the recognition of homologous NF54 and heterologous NF135.C10 sporozoites, complement fixation, sporozoite lysis, and possible subsequent effects on in vitro sporozoite infectivity in human hepatocytes. CPS immunization induced sporozoite-specific IgM (P < 0.0001) and IgG (P = 0.001) antibodies with complement-fixing capacities (P < 0.0001). Sporozoite lysis (P = 0.017), traversal (P < 0.0001), and hepatocyte invasion inhibition (P < 0.0001) by CPS-induced antibodies were strongly enhanced in the presence of active complement. Complement-mediated invasion inhibition in the presence of CPS-induced antibodies negatively correlated with cumulative parasitemia during CPS immunizations (P = 0.013). While IgG antibodies similarly recognized homologous and heterologous sporozoites, IgM binding to heterologous sporozoites was reduced (P = 0.023). Although CPS-induced antibodies did not differ in their abilities to fix complement, lyse sporozoites, or inhibit the traversal of homologous and heterologous sporozoites, heterologous sporozoite invasion was more strongly inhibited in the presence of active complement (P = 0.008). These findings demonstrate that CPS-induced antibodies have complement-fixing activity, thereby significantly further enhancing the functional inhibition of homologous and heterologous sporozoite infectivity in vitro The combined data highlight the importance of complement as an additional immune effector mechanism in preerythrocytic immunity after whole-parasite immunization against Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marije C Behet
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Liriye Kurtovic
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Celine M Haukes
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rianne Siebelink-Stoter
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Graumans
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Anja Scholzen
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen D Langereis
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dimitri A Diavatopoulos
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Stone WJR, Churcher TS, Graumans W, van Gemert GJ, Vos MW, Lanke KHW, van de Vegte-Bolmer MG, Siebelink-Stoter R, Dechering KJ, Vaughan AM, Camargo N, Kappe SHI, Sauerwein RW, Bousema T. A scalable assessment of Plasmodium falciparum transmission in the standard membrane-feeding assay, using transgenic parasites expressing green fluorescent protein-luciferase. J Infect Dis 2014; 210:1456-63. [PMID: 24829466 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiu271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of drugs and vaccines to reduce malaria transmission is an important part of eradication plans. The transmission-reducing activity (TRA) of these agents is currently determined in the standard membrane-feeding assay (SMFA), based on subjective microscopy-based readouts and with limitations in upscaling and throughput. METHODS Using a Plasmodium falciparum strain expressing the firefly luciferase protein, we present a luminescence-based approach to SMFA evaluation that eliminates the requirement for mosquito dissections in favor of a simple approach in which whole mosquitoes are homogenized and examined directly for luciferase activity. RESULTS Analysis of 6860 Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes across 68 experimental feeds shows that the luminescence assay was as sensitive as microscopy for infection detection. The mean luminescence intensity of individual and pooled mosquitoes accurately quantifies mean oocyst intensity and generates comparable TRA estimates. The luminescence assay presented here could increase SMFA throughput so that 10-30 experimental feeds could be evaluated in a single 96-well plate. CONCLUSIONS This new method of assessing Plasmodium infection and transmission intensity could expedite the screening of novel drug compounds, vaccine candidates, and sera from malaria-exposed individuals for TRA. Luminescence-based estimates of oocyst intensity in individual mosquitoes should be interpreted with caution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Will J R Stone
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center
| | - Thomas S Churcher
- MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London
| | - Wouter Graumans
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center
| | | | - Martijn W Vos
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center TropIQ Health Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Stefan H I Kappe
- Seattle Biomedical Research Institute Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center TropIQ Health Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Teun Bousema
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Stone WJR, Eldering M, van Gemert GJ, Lanke KHW, Grignard L, van de Vegte-Bolmer MG, Siebelink-Stoter R, Graumans W, Roeffen WFG, Drakeley CJ, Sauerwein RW, Bousema T. The relevance and applicability of oocyst prevalence as a read-out for mosquito feeding assays. Sci Rep 2013; 3:3418. [PMID: 24301557 PMCID: PMC4894383 DOI: 10.1038/srep03418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito feeding assays are important in evaluations of malaria transmission-reducing interventions. The proportion of mosquitoes with midgut oocysts is commonly used as an outcome measure, but in natural low intensity infections the effect of oocyst non-rupture on mosquito infectivity is unclear. By identifying ruptured as well as intact oocysts, we show that in low intensity P. falciparum infections i) 66.7–96.7% of infected mosquitoes experienced oocyst rupture between 11–21 days post-infection, ii) oocyst rupture led invariably to sporozoite release, iii) oocyst rupture led to salivary gland infections in 97.8% of mosquitoes, and iv) 1250 (IQR 313-2400) salivary gland sporozoites were found per ruptured oocyst. These data show that infectivity can be predicted with reasonable certainty from oocyst prevalence in low intensity infections. High throughput methods for detecting infection in whole mosquitoes showed that 18s PCR but not circumsporozoite ELISA gave a reliable approximation of mosquito infection rates on day 7 post-infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Will J R Stone
- 1] Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands [2]
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|