scholarly journals A Plant-Produced Pfs230 Vaccine Candidate Blocks Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum

2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 1351-1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine E. Farrance ◽  
Amy Rhee ◽  
R. Mark Jones ◽  
Konstantin Musiychuk ◽  
Moneim Shamloul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
Sexual Cycle ◽  
New Host ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Block Transmission ◽  
Membrane Feeding

ABSTRACTPlasmodium falciparumis transmitted to a new host after completing its sexual cycle within a mosquito. Developing vaccines against the parasite sexual stages is a critical component in the fight against malaria. We are targeting multiple proteins ofP. falciparumwhich are found only on the surfaces of the sexual forms of the parasite and where antibodies against these proteins have been shown to block the progression of the parasite's life cycle in the mosquito and thus block transmission to the next human host. We have successfully produced a region of the Pfs230 antigen in our plant-based transient-expression system and evaluated this vaccine candidate in an animal model. This plant-produced protein, 230CMB, is expressed at approximately 800 mg/kg in fresh whole leaf tissue and is 100% soluble. Administration of 230CMB with >90% purity induces strong immune responses in rabbits with high titers of transmission-blocking antibodies, resulting in a greater than 99% reduction in oocyst counts in the presence of complement, as determined by a standard membrane feeding assay. Our data provide a clear perspective on the clinical development of a Pfs230-based transmission-blocking malaria vaccine.

scholarly journals N-Terminal Prodomain of Pfs230 Synthesized Using a Cell-Free System Is Sufficient To Induce Complement-Dependent Malaria Transmission-Blocking Activity

2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 1343-1350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayumi Tachibana ◽  
Yimin Wu ◽  
Hideyuki Iriko ◽  
Olga Muratova ◽  
Nicholas J. MacDonald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Transmission ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Western Blot Assay ◽  
Free System ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Membrane Feeding ◽  
Blocking Activity ◽  
Transmission Blocking Vaccine

ABSTRACTThe aim of a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine is to block the development of malaria parasites in the mosquito and thus prevent subsequent infection of the human host. Previous studies have demonstrated that the gametocyte/gamete surface protein Pfs230 can induce transmission-blocking immunity and have evaluatedEscherichia coli-produced Pfs230 as a transmission-blocking vaccine candidate. In this study, we used the wheat germ cell-free expression system to produce N-terminal fragments of Pfs230 and evaluated the transmission-blocking activity of antisera raised against the recombinant Pfs230 protein. The rabbit antisera reacted to the surface of cultured gametocytes and gametes of thePlasmodium falciparumNF54 line, recognized the 360-kDa form of parasite-produced Pfs230 by Western blot assay, and reduced the infectivity of NF54 parasites toAnopheles stefensimosquitoes in the presence of complement in a standard membrane feeding assay. Thus, our data demonstrate that the N-terminal pro domain of Pfs230 is sufficient to induce complement-dependent transmission-blocking activity againstP. falciparum.

scholarly journals Alga-Produced Malaria Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Candidate Pfs25 Formulated with a Human Use-Compatible Potent Adjuvant Induces High-Affinity Antibodies That Block Plasmodium falciparum Infection of Mosquitoes

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 1799-1808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kailash P. Patra ◽  
Fengwu Li ◽  
Darrick Carter ◽  
James A. Gregory ◽  
Sheyenne Baga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Water Emulsion ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oil In Water ◽  
Oil In Water Emulsion ◽  
Transmission Blocking Vaccine

A vaccine to prevent the transmission of malaria parasites from infected humans to mosquitoes is an important component for the elimination of malaria in the 21st century, yet it remains neglected as a priority of malaria vaccine development. The lead candidate forPlasmodium falciparumtransmission-blocking vaccine development, Pfs25, is a sexual stage surface protein that has been produced for vaccine testing in a variety of heterologous expression systems. Any realistic malaria vaccine will need to optimize proper folding balanced against cost of production, yield, and potentially reactogenic contaminants. HereChlamydomonas reinhardtiimicroalga-produced recombinant Pfs25 protein was formulated with four different human-compatible adjuvants (alum, Toll-like receptor 4 [TLR-4] agonist glucopyranosal lipid A [GLA] plus alum, squalene–oil-in-water emulsion, and GLA plus squalene–oil-in-water emulsion) and compared for their ability to induce malaria transmission-blocking antibodies. Alga-produced recombinant Pfs25 plus GLA plus squalene–oil-in-water adjuvant induced the highest titer and avidity in IgG antibodies, measured using alga-produced recombinant Pfs25 as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antigen. These antibodies specifically reacted with the surface ofP. falciparummacrogametes and zygotes and effectively prevented parasites from developing within the mosquito vector in standard membrane feeding assays. Alga-produced Pfs25 in combination with a human-compatible adjuvant composed of a TLR-4 agonist in a squalene–oil-in-water emulsion is an attractive new vaccine candidate that merits head-to-head comparison with other modalities of vaccine production and administration.

scholarly journals Anti-Pfs25 Human Plasma Reduces Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum Isolates That Have Diverse Genetic Backgrounds

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 1984-1989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dari F. Da ◽  
Saurabh Dixit ◽  
Jetsumon Sattabonkot ◽  
Jianbing Mu ◽  
Luc Abate ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Phase 1 Trial ◽  
Membrane Feeding ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Reducing Activity ◽  
Membrane Feeding Assay

ABSTRACTPfs25 is a leading candidate for a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine whose potential has been demonstrated in a phase 1 trial with recombinant Pfs25 formulated with Montanide ISA51. Because of limited sequence polymorphism, the anti-Pfs25 antibodies induced by this vaccine are likely to have transmission-blocking or -reducing activity against most, if not all, field isolates. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated transmission-blocking activities by membrane feeding assay of anti-Pfs25 plasma from the Pfs25/ISA51 phase 1 trial againstPlasmodium falciparumparasites from patients in two different geographical regions of the world, Thailand and Burkina Faso. In parallel, parasite isolates from these patients were sequenced for the Pfs25 gene and genotyped for seven microsatellites. The results indicate that despite different genetic backgrounds among parasite isolates, the Pfs25 sequences are highly conserved, with a single nonsynonymous nucleotide polymorphism detected in 1 of 41 patients in Thailand and Burkina Faso. The anti-Pfs25 immune plasma had significantly higher transmission-reducing activity against parasite isolates from the two geographical regions than the nonimmune controls (P< 0.0001).

scholarly journals Functional Comparison of Plasmodium falciparum Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Candidates by the Standard Membrane-Feeding Assay

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (12) ◽  
pp. 4377-4382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazutoyo Miura ◽  
Eizo Takashima ◽  
Bingbing Deng ◽  
Gregory Tullo ◽  
Ababacar Diouf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Recombinant Proteins ◽  
The Other ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Feeding Assay ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Membrane Feeding ◽  
Membrane Feeding Assay

ABSTRACTRecently, there has been a renewed interest in the development of transmission-blocking vaccines (TBV) againstPlasmodium falciparummalaria. While several candidate TBVs have been reported, studies directly comparing them in functional assays are limited. To this end, recombinant proteins of TBV candidates Pfs25, Pfs230, and PfHAP2 were expressed in the wheat germ cell-free expression system. Outbred CD-1 mice were immunized twice with the antigens. Two weeks after the second immunization, IgG levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and IgG functionality was assessed by the standard membrane-feeding assay (SMFA) using culturedP. falciparumNF54 gametocytes andAnopheles stephensimosquitoes. All three recombinant proteins elicited similar levels of antigen-specific IgG judged by ELISA. When IgGs purified from pools of immune serum were tested at 0.75 mg/ml in the SMFA, all three IgGs showed 97 to 100% inhibition in oocyst intensity compared to control IgG. In two additional independent SMFA evaluations, anti-Pfs25, anti-Pfs230, and anti-PfHAP2 IgGs inhibited oocyst intensity in a dose-dependent manner. When all three data sets were analyzed, anti-Pfs25 antibody showed significantly higher inhibition than the other two antibodies (P< 0.001 for both), while there was no significant difference between the other two (P= 0.15). A proportion of plasma samples collected from adults living in an area of malaria endemicity in Mali recognized Pfs230 and PfHAP2. This is the first study showing that the HAP2 protein ofP. falciparumcan induce transmission-blocking antibody. The current study supports the possibility of using this system for a comparative study with multiple TBV candidates.

scholarly journals A Plant-Produced Pfs25 VLP Malaria Vaccine Candidate Induces Persistent Transmission Blocking Antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum in Immunized Mice

PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. e79538 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Mark Jones ◽  
Jessica A. Chichester ◽  
Vadim Mett ◽  
Jennifer Jaje ◽  
Stephen Tottey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Malaria Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Blocking Antibodies

scholarly journals Bacterially Expressed Full-Length Recombinant Plasmodium falciparum RH5 Protein Binds Erythrocytes and Elicits Potent Strain-Transcending Parasite-Neutralizing Antibodies

2013 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sony Reddy ◽  
Alok K. Pandey ◽  
Hina Singh ◽  
Tajali Sahar ◽  
Amlabu Emmanuel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Blood Stage ◽  
Parasite Protein ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Erythrocyte Binding ◽  
Blood Stage Malaria

ABSTRACTPlasmodium falciparumreticulocyte binding-like homologous protein 5 (PfRH5) is an essential merozoite ligand that binds with its erythrocyte receptor, basigin. PfRH5 is an attractive malaria vaccine candidate, as it is expressed by a wide number ofP. falciparumstrains, cannot be genetically disrupted, and exhibits limited sequence polymorphisms. Viral vector-induced PfRH5 antibodies potently inhibited erythrocyte invasion. However, it has been a challenge to generate full-length recombinant PfRH5 in a bacterial-cell-based expression system. In this study, we have produced full-length recombinant PfRH5 inEscherichia colithat exhibits specific erythrocyte binding similar to that of the native PfRH5 parasite protein and also, importantly, elicits potent invasion-inhibitory antibodies against a number ofP. falciparumstrains. Antibasigin antibodies blocked the erythrocyte binding of both native and recombinant PfRH5, further confirming that they bind with basigin. We have thus successfully produced full-length PfRH5 as a functionally active erythrocyte binding recombinant protein with a conformational integrity that mimics that of the native parasite protein and elicits potent strain-transcending parasite-neutralizing antibodies.P. falciparumhas the capability to develop immune escape mechanisms, and thus, blood-stage malaria vaccines that target multiple antigens or pathways may prove to be highly efficacious. In this regard, antibody combinations targeting PfRH5 and other key merozoite antigens produced potent additive inhibition against multiple worldwideP. falciparumstrains. PfRH5 was immunogenic when immunized with other antigens, eliciting potent invasion-inhibitory antibody responses with no immune interference. Our results strongly support the development of PfRH5 as a component of a combination blood-stage malaria vaccine.

scholarly journals DSM265 at 400 Milligrams Clears Asexual Stage Parasites but Not Mature Gametocytes from the Blood of Healthy Subjects Experimentally Infected with Plasmodium falciparum

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine A. Collins ◽  
Thomas Rückle ◽  
Suzanne Elliott ◽  
Louise Marquart ◽  
Emma Ballard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Pharmacodynamic Modeling ◽  
Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Blocking Activity ◽  
Cutaneous Rash ◽  
Phase 1B ◽  
Study Support ◽  
Previous Phase

ABSTRACT DSM265 is a novel antimalarial drug in clinical development that acts as a selective inhibitor of Plasmodium dihydroorotate dehydrogenase. In a previous phase 1b study, a single 150-mg dose of DSM265 showed partial efficacy against experimentally induced blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum malaria (IBSM). Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling predicted a human efficacious dose of 340 mg. The primary objectives of the current study were to determine the safety and efficacy of a single oral 400-mg dose of DSM265 against P. falciparum in the IBSM model. Eight healthy participants were inoculated intravenously with 2,800 parasites and treated with DSM265 7 days later. Unexpectedly, one participant did not develop parasitemia during the study. All other participants developed parasitemia, with the complete clearance of asexual parasites occurring following DSM265 treatment. All seven subjects also became gametocytemic. The secondary objectives were to investigate the gametocytocidal and transmission-blocking activity of a second 400-mg dose of DSM265, which was administered 23 days after inoculation. Gametocytes were not cleared by the second dose of DSM265, and transmission-blocking activity could not be determined due to low gametocyte densities. Three DSM265-related adverse events occurred, including a cutaneous rash in one subject on the day of the second DSM265 dose. The results obtained in this study support the prediction of the efficacious dose of DSM265 and provide further evidence that DSM265 is generally safe and well tolerated. In addition, this study confirms preclinical data indicating that DSM265 permits the development and maturation of gametocytes and does not clear mature circulating gametocytes. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT02573857.)

scholarly journals Antibodies to a Single, Conserved Epitope in Anopheles APN1 Inhibit Universal Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax Malaria

2013 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 818-829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Armistead ◽  
Isabelle Morlais ◽  
Derrick K. Mathias ◽  
Juliette G. Jardim ◽  
Jaimy Joy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Plasmodium Vivax ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Block Transmission ◽  
Antibody Recognition ◽  
Protective Epitope ◽  
Product Profile ◽  
Plasmodium Vivax Malaria ◽  
Transmission Blocking Vaccines ◽  
Conserved Epitope

ABSTRACTMalaria transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) represent a promising approach for the elimination and eradication of this disease. AnAPN1 is a lead TBV candidate that targets a surface antigen on the midgut of the obligate vector of thePlasmodiumparasite, theAnophelesmosquito. In this study, we demonstrated that antibodies targeting AnAPN1 block transmission ofPlasmodium falciparumandPlasmodium vivaxacross distantly related anopheline species in countries to which malaria is endemic. Using a biochemical and immunological approach, we determined that the mechanism of action for this phenomenon stems from antibody recognition of a single protective epitope on AnAPN1, which we found to be immunogenic in murine and nonhuman primate models and highly conserved among anophelines. These data indicate that AnAPN1 meets the established target product profile for TBVs and suggest a potential key role for an AnAPN1-based panmalaria TBV in the effort to eradicate malaria.

scholarly journals RALP1 Is a Rhoptry Neck Erythrocyte-Binding Protein of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites and a Potential Blood-Stage Vaccine Candidate Antigen

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (11) ◽  
pp. 4290-4298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Ito ◽  
Tomoyuki Hasegawa ◽  
Kazutoyo Miura ◽  
Tsutomu Yamasaki ◽  
Thangavelu U. Arumugam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Blood Stage ◽  
Merozoite Invasion ◽  
Free System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vaccine Candidate Antigen ◽  
Erythrocyte Binding ◽  
Candidate Antigen

ABSTRACTErythrocyte invasion by merozoites is an obligatory stage ofPlasmodiuminfection and is essential to disease progression. Proteins in the apical organelles of merozoites mediate the invasion of erythrocytes and are potential malaria vaccine candidates. Rhoptry-associated, leucine zipper-like protein 1 (RALP1) ofPlasmodium falciparumwas previously found to be specifically expressed in schizont stages and localized to the rhoptries of merozoites by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Also, RALP1 has been refractory to gene knockout attempts, suggesting that it is essential for blood-stage parasite survival. These characteristics suggest that RALP1 can be a potential blood-stage vaccine candidate antigen, and here we assessed its potential in this regard. Antibodies were raised against recombinant RALP1 proteins synthesized by using the wheat germ cell-free system. Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated for the first time that RALP1 is a rhoptry neck protein of merozoites. Moreover, our IFA data showed that RALP1 translocates from the rhoptry neck to the moving junction during merozoite invasion. Growth and invasion inhibition assays revealed that anti-RALP1 antibodies inhibit the invasion of erythrocytes by merozoites. The findings that RALP1 possesses an erythrocyte-binding epitope in the C-terminal region and that anti-RALP1 antibodies disrupt tight-junction formation, are evidence that RALP1 plays an important role during merozoite invasion of erythrocytes. In addition, human sera collected from areas in Thailand and Mali where malaria is endemic recognized this protein. Overall, our findings indicate that RALP1 is a rhoptry neck erythrocyte-binding protein and that it qualifies as a potential blood-stage vaccine candidate.

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