scholarly journals Generation of a Genetically Modified Chimeric Plasmodium falciparum Parasite Expressing Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Protein for Malaria Vaccine Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukiko Miyazaki ◽  
Catherin Marin-Mogollon ◽  
Takashi Imai ◽  
António M. Mendes ◽  
Rianne van der Laak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Human Hepatocytes ◽  
Circumsporozoite Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Rodent Malaria ◽  
Preclinical Evaluation ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum Parasite ◽  
Falciparum Parasite

Chimeric rodent malaria parasites with the endogenous circumsporozoite protein (csp) gene replaced with csp from the human parasites Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) are used in preclinical evaluation of CSP vaccines. Chimeric rodent parasites expressing PfCSP have also been assessed as whole sporozoite (WSP) vaccines. Comparable chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing CSP of P. vivax could be used both for clinical evaluation of vaccines targeting PvCSP in controlled human P. falciparum infections and in WSP vaccines targeting P. vivax and P. falciparum. We generated chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing both PfCSP and PvCSP. These Pf-PvCSP parasites produced sporozoite comparable to wild type P. falciparum parasites and expressed PfCSP and PvCSP on the sporozoite surface. Pf-PvCSP sporozoites infected human hepatocytes and induced antibodies to the repeats of both PfCSP and PvCSP after immunization of mice. These results support the use of Pf-PvCSP sporozoites in studies optimizing vaccines targeting PvCSP.

scholarly journals The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein produced in Lactococcus lactis is pure and stable

2019 ◽  
Vol 295 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susheel K. Singh ◽  
Jordan Plieskatt ◽  
Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia ◽  
Vandana Singh ◽  
Judith M. Bolscher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Lactococcus Lactis ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Circumsporozoite Protein ◽  
Full Length

The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) is a sporozoite surface protein whose role in sporozoite motility and cell invasion has made it the leading candidate for a pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine. However, production of high yields of soluble recombinant PfCSP, including its extensive NANP and NVDP repeats, has proven problematic. Here, we report on the development and characterization of a secreted, soluble, and stable full-length PfCSP (containing 4 NVDP and 38 NANP repeats) produced in the Lactococcus lactis expression system. The recombinant full-length PfCSP, denoted PfCSP4/38, was produced initially with a histidine tag and purified by a simple two-step procedure. Importantly, the recombinant PfCSP4/38 retained a conformational epitope for antibodies as confirmed by both in vivo and in vitro characterizations. We characterized this complex protein by HPLC, light scattering, MS analysis, differential scanning fluorimetry, CD, SDS-PAGE, and immunoblotting with conformation-dependent and -independent mAbs, which confirmed it to be both pure and soluble. Moreover, we found that the recombinant protein is stable at both frozen and elevated-temperature storage conditions. When we used L. lactis–derived PfCSP4/38 to immunize mice, it elicited high levels of functional antibodies that had the capacity to modify sporozoite motility in vitro. We concluded that the reported yield, purity, results of biophysical analyses, and stability of PfCSP4/38 warrant further consideration of using the L. lactis system for the production of circumsporozoite proteins for preclinical and clinical applications in malaria vaccine development.

scholarly journals Antibody Targets and Properties for Complement-Fixation Against the Circumsporozoite Protein in Malaria Immunity

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liriye Kurtovic ◽  
Damien R. Drew ◽  
Arlene E. Dent ◽  
James W. Kazura ◽  
James G. Beeson
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Complement Fixation ◽  
Terminal Region ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
Circumsporozoite Protein ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Acquired Immunity ◽  
Vaccine Candidates

The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) forms the basis of leading subunit malaria vaccine candidates. However, the mechanisms and specific targets of immunity are poorly defined. Recent findings suggest that antibody-mediated complement-fixation and activation play an important role in immunity. Here, we investigated the regions of CSP targeted by functional complement-fixing antibodies and the antibody properties associated with this activity. We quantified IgG, IgM, and functional complement-fixing antibody responses to different regions of CSP among Kenyan adults naturally exposed to malaria (n=102) and using a series of rabbit vaccination studies. Individuals who acquired functional complement-fixing antibodies had higher IgG, IgM and IgG1 and IgG3 to CSP. Acquired complement-fixing antibodies targeted the N-terminal, central-repeat, and C-terminal regions of CSP, and positive responders had greater antibody breadth compared to those who were negative for complement-fixing antibodies (p<0.05). Using rabbit vaccinations as a model, we confirmed that IgG specific to the central-repeat and non-repeat regions of CSP could effectively fix complement. However, vaccination with near full length CSP in rabbits poorly induced antibodies to the N-terminal region compared to naturally-acquired immunity in humans. Poor induction of N-terminal antibodies was also observed in a vaccination study performed in mice. IgG and IgM to all three regions of CSP play a role in mediating complement-fixation, which has important implications for malaria vaccine development.

scholarly journals In silico characterisation of putative Plasmodium falciparum vaccine candidates in African malaria populations

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Ajibola ◽  
M. F. Diop ◽  
A. Ghansah ◽  
L. Amenga-Etego ◽  
L. Golassa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Balancing Selection ◽  
Immune Recognition ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Vaccine Candidates ◽  
D Values ◽  
Tajima’S D

AbstractGenetic diversity of surface exposed and stage specific Plasmodium falciparum immunogenic proteins pose a major roadblock to developing an effective malaria vaccine with broad and long-lasting immunity. We conducted a prospective genetic analysis of candidate antigens (msp1, ama1, rh5, eba175, glurp, celtos, csp, lsa3, Pfsea, trap, conserved chrom3, hyp9, hyp10, phistb, surfin8.2, and surfin14.1) for malaria vaccine development on 2375 P. falciparum sequences from 16 African countries. We described signatures of balancing selection inferred from positive values of Tajima’s D for all antigens across all populations except for glurp. This could be as a result of immune selection on these antigens as positive Tajima’s D values mapped to regions with putative immune epitopes. A less diverse phistb antigen was characterised with a transmembrane domain, glycophosphatidyl anchors between the N and C- terminals, and surface epitopes that could be targets of immune recognition. This study demonstrates the value of population genetic and immunoinformatic analysis for identifying and characterising new putative vaccine candidates towards improving strain transcending immunity, and vaccine efficacy across all endemic populations.

scholarly journals Quantification of wild-type and radiation attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite motility in human skin

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Béatrice M. F. Winkel ◽  
Clarize M. de Korne ◽  
Matthias N. van Oosterom ◽  
Diego Staphorst ◽  
Mark Meijhuis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Human Skin ◽  
Human Tissue ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Protective Efficacy ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Additional Tool ◽  
Falciparum Sporozoite ◽  
Skin Explants ◽  
Movement Angle

Abstract Given the number of global malaria cases and deaths, the need for a vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) remains pressing. Administration of live, radiation-attenuated Pf sporozoites can fully protect malaria-naïve individuals. Despite the fact that motility of these attenuated parasites is key to their infectivity and ultimately protective efficacy, sporozoite motility in human tissue (e.g. skin) remains wholly uncharacterized to date. We show that the ability to quantitatively address the complexity of sporozoite motility in human tissue provides an additional tool in the development of attenuated sporozoite vaccines. We imaged Pf movement in the skin of its natural host and compared wild-type and radiation-attenuated GFP-expressing Pf sporozoites. Using custom image analysis software and human skin explants we were able to quantitatively study their key motility features. This head-to-head comparison revealed that radiation attenuation impaired the capacity of sporozoites to vary their movement angle, velocity and direction, promoting less refined movement patterns. Understanding and overcoming these changes in motility will contribute to the development of an efficacious attenuated parasite malaria vaccine.

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