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Plasmodium falciparum Pf77 and male development gene 1 as vaccine antigens that induce potent transmission-reducing antibodies
Malaria vaccines that disrupt the life cycle in mosquitoes and reduce parasite transmission in endemic areas are termed transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs). Despite decades of research, there are only a few antigens that indisputably and reproducibly demonstrate transmission-blocking immunity. So...
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Published in: | Science translational medicine 2021-06, Vol.13 (597), p.1 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Malaria vaccines that disrupt the
life cycle in mosquitoes and reduce parasite transmission in endemic areas are termed transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs). Despite decades of research, there are only a few
antigens that indisputably and reproducibly demonstrate transmission-blocking immunity. So far, only two TBV candidates have advanced to phase 1/2 clinical testing with limited success. By applying an unbiased transcriptomics-based approach, we have identified Pf77 and male development gene 1 (PfMDV-1) as two
TBV antigens that, upon immunization, induced antibodies that caused reductions in oocyst counts in
mosquito midguts in a standard membrane feeding assay. In-depth studies were performed to characterize the genetic diversity of, stage-specific expression by, and natural immunity to these two molecules to evaluate their suitability as TBV candidates. Pf77 and PfMDV-1 display limited antigenic polymorphism, are pan-developmentally expressed within the parasite, and induce naturally occurring antibodies in Ghanaian adults, which raises the prospect of natural boosting of vaccine-induced immune response in endemic regions. Together, these biological properties suggest that Pf77 and PfMDV-1 may warrant further investigation as TBV candidates. |
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ISSN: | 1946-6234 1946-6242 1946-3242 |
DOI: | 10.1126/scitranslmed.abg2112 |