1
|
Protective Immunity Induced by Virus-Like Particle Containing Merozoite Surface Protein 9 of Plasmodium berghei. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030428. [PMID: 32751598 PMCID: PMC7564927 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Merozoite surface protein 9 (MSP-9) from Plasmodium has shown promise as a vaccine candidate due to its location and possible role in erythrocyte invasion. In this study, we generated virus-like particles (VLPs) targeting P. berghei MSP-9, and investigated the protection against lethal doses of P. berghei in a mouse model. We found that VLP vaccination induced a P. berghei-specific IgG antibody response in the sera and CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations in blood compared to a naïve control group. Upon challenge infection with P. berghei, vaccinated mice showed a significant increase in CD4+ and CD8+ effector memory T cell and memory B cell populations. Importantly, MSP-9 VLP immunization inhibited levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-6 in the spleen and parasite replication in blood, resulting in significantly prolonged survival time. These results suggest that the MSP-9 VLP vaccine may constitute an effective malaria vaccine.
Collapse
|
2
|
Chenet SM, Pacheco MA, Bacon DJ, Collins WE, Barnwell JW, Escalante AA. The evolution and diversity of a low complexity vaccine candidate, merozoite surface protein 9 (MSP-9), in Plasmodium vivax and closely related species. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2013; 20:239-48. [PMID: 24044894 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The merozoite surface protein-9 (MSP-9) has been considered a target for an anti-malarial vaccine since it is one of many proteins involved in the erythrocyte invasion, a critical step in the parasite life cycle. Orthologs encoding this antigen have been found in all known species of Plasmodium parasitic to primates. In order to characterize and investigate the extent and maintenance of MSP-9 genetic diversity, we analyzed DNA sequences of the following malaria parasite species: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium reichenowi, Plasmodium chabaudi, Plasmodium yoelii, Plasmodium berghei, Plasmodium coatneyi, Plasmodium gonderi, Plasmodium knowlesi, Plasmodium inui, Plasmodium simiovale, Plasmodium fieldi, Plasmodium cynomolgi and Plasmodium vivax and evaluated the signature of natural selection in all MSP-9 orthologs. Our findings suggest that the gene encoding MSP-9 is under purifying selection in P. vivax and closely related species. We further explored how selection affected different regions of MSP-9 by comparing the polymorphisms in P. vivax and P. falciparum, and found contrasting patterns between these two species that suggest differences in functional constraints. This observation implies that the MSP-9 orthologs in human parasites may interact differently with the host immune response. Thus, studies carried out in one species cannot be directly translated into the other.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stella M Chenet
- Arizona State University, School of Life Sciences, Tempe, AZ, USA; Center for Evolutionary Medicine and Informatics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lima-Junior JC, Banic DM, Tran TM, Meyer VSE, De-Simone SG, Santos F, Porto LCS, Marques MTQ, Moreno A, Barnwell JW, Galinski MR, Oliveira-Ferreira J. Promiscuous T-cell epitopes of Plasmodium merozoite surface protein 9 (PvMSP9) induces IFN-gamma and IL-4 responses in individuals naturally exposed to malaria in the Brazilian Amazon. Vaccine 2010; 28:3185-91. [PMID: 20189487 PMCID: PMC2861348 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.02.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2009] [Revised: 01/28/2010] [Accepted: 02/11/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein (PvMSP9) stimulates both cellular and humoral immune responses in individuals who are naturally infected by this parasite species. To identify immunodominant human T-cell epitopes in PvMSP9, we used the MHC class II binding peptide prediction algorithm ProPred. Eleven synthetic peptides representing predicted putative promiscuous T-cell epitopes were tested in IFN-gamma and IL-4 ELISPOT assays using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) derived from 142 individuals from Rondonia State, Brazil who had been naturally exposed to P. vivax infections. To determine whether the predicted epitopes are preferentially recognized in the context of multiple alleles, MHC Class II typing of the cohort was also performed. Five synthetic peptides elicited robust cellular responses, and the overall frequencies of IFN-gamma and IL-4 responders to at least one of the promiscuous peptides were 62% and 46%, respectively. The frequencies of IFN-gamma and IL-4 responders to each peptide were not associated with a particular HLA-DRB1 allelic group since most of the peptides induced a response in individuals of 12 out of 13 studied allelic groups. The prediction of promiscuous epitopes using ProPred led to the identification of immunodominant epitopes recognized by PBMC from a significant proportion of a genetically heterogeneous population exposed to malaria infections. The combination of several such T-cell epitopes in a vaccine construct may increase the frequency of responders and the overall efficacy of subunit vaccines in genetically distinct populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- JC Lima-Junior
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
| | - DM Banic
- Laboratory of Malaria Research, Institute Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
| | - TM Tran
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - VSE Meyer
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - SG De-Simone
- Laboratory of Biochemical of Proteins and Peptides, Institute Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - F Santos
- Department of Entomology, LACEN, Porto Velho, RO
| | - LCS Porto
- Laboratory of Histocompatibility and Cryopreservation, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
| | - MTQ Marques
- Laboratory of Histocompatibility and Cryopreservation, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
| | - A Moreno
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - JW Barnwell
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, CDC/National Center for Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA
| | - MR Galinski
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - J Oliveira-Ferreira
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Somvanshi P, Singh V, Seth P. Prediction of Epitopes in Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase Proteins of Influenza A Virus H5N1 Strain: A Clue for Diagnostic and Vaccine Development. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2008; 12:61-9. [DOI: 10.1089/omi.2007.0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi Somvanshi
- Biotech Park, Sector-G Jankipuram, Lucknow-226021, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vijay Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - P.K. Seth
- CEO, Biotech Park, Sector-G Jankipuram, Lucknow-226021, Uttar Pradesh, India
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lopera-Mesa TM, Kushwaha A, Mohmmed A, Chauhan VS. Plasmodium berghei merozoite surface protein-9: immunogenicity and protective efficacy using a homologous challenge model. Vaccine 2008; 26:1335-43. [PMID: 18272263 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2007] [Revised: 12/07/2007] [Accepted: 12/19/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Merozoite surface protein-9 (MSP-9) from Plasmodium is considered a promising vaccine candidate due to its location and possible role in erythrocyte invasion. We report the identification and characterization of Plasmodium berghei MSP-9 (PbMSP-9) and its properties as an immunogen using a recombinant PbMSP-9 fragment to immunize BALB/c mice. PbMSP-9 was found to harbor erythrocyte binding and serine protease activity. PbMSP-9 formulation in alum was highly immunogenic in BALB/c mice. To evaluate the protective efficacy, immunized mice were submitted to homologous challenge with P. berghei NK65 blood-stage parasites. Protection against the parasite challenge was observed in BALB/c mice immunized with the PbMSP-9 formulation. These results suggest for the first time that MSP-9 based immunogens may constitute part of an effective malaria vaccine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Maria Lopera-Mesa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, PO Box 10504, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
Population studies have shown that among all the genetic factors linked with autoimmune disease development, MHC class II genes on chromosome 6 accounts for majority of familial clustering in the common autoimmune diseases. Despite the highly polymorphic nature of HLA class II genes, majority of autoimmune diseases are linked to a limited set of class II-DR or -DQ alleles. Thus a more detailed study of these HLA-DR and -DQ alleles were needed to understand their role in genetic predisposition and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Although in vitro studies using class-II restricted CD4 T cells and purified class II molecules have helped us in understanding some aspects of HLA class-II association with disease, it is difficult to study the role of class II genes in vivo because of heterogeneity of human population, complexity of MHC, and strong linkage disequilibrium among different class II genes. To overcome this problem, we pioneered the generation of HLA-class II transgenic mice to study role of these molecule in inflammatory disease. These HLA class II transgenic mice were used to develop novel in vivo disease model for common autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, myasthenia gravis, celiac disease, autoimmune relapsing polychondritis, autoimmune myocarditis, thyroiditis, uveitis, as well as other inflammatory disease such as allergy, tuberculosis and toxic shock syndrome. As the T-cell repertoire in these humanized HLA transgenic mice are shaped by human class II molecules, they show the same HLA restriction as humans, implicate potential triggering mechanism and autoantigens, and identify similar antigenic epitopes seen in human. This review describes the value of these humanized transgenic mice in deciphering role of HLA class II molecules in immunopathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.
Collapse
|
7
|
Chapoval SP, David CS. Identification of antigenic epitopes on human allergens: studies with HLA transgenic mice. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2003; 111:245-250. [PMID: 12573914 PMCID: PMC1241359 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.5706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Environmental factors play an important role in the rise and manifestation of allergic conditions in genetically predisposed subjects. Increased exposure to indoor/outdoor allergens is a significant factor in the development of allergic sensitization and asthma. Recently, strong relationships between the immune response to several highly purified allergens and specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ and -DR haplotypes have been reported. The major antigens from clinically important allergens have been cloned and sequenced. However, whether innate structural features of major allergens or peculiar immune recognition of these molecules contribute to the overly robust immune responses is not known. We generated and used transgenic (tg) mice expressing single HLA class II transgene(s) to characterize the allergen epitopes presented by particular HLA class II molecules. Next, we generated in vivo models for asthma in the HLA tg mice by intranasal challenge with allergenic extracts. Furthermore, we used a single epitope to induce an allergic lung inflammation. Our system offers a sophisticated technique for systematically identifying the genetic (individual human class II) and antigenic (individual allergenic epitopes) basis of asthma sensitivity and has important implications for new treatment strategies.
Collapse
|
8
|
Sidney J, del Guercio MF, Southwood S, Sette A. The HLA molecules DQA1*0501/B1*0201 and DQA1*0301/B1*0302 share an extensive overlap in peptide binding specificity. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2002; 169:5098-108. [PMID: 12391226 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.169.9.5098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Assays to measure the binding capacity of peptides for HLA-DQA1*0501/B*0201 (DQ2.3) and DQA1*0301/B*0302 (DQ3.2) were developed using solubilized MHC molecules purified from EBV-transformed cell lines. These quantitative assays, based on the principle of the inhibition of binding of a high-affinity radiolabeled ligand, were validated by examining the binding capacity of known DQ-restricted epitopes or ligands. The availability of these assays allowed an investigation of patterns of cross-reactivity between different DQ molecules and with various common DR molecules. DQ2.3 and DQ3.2 were found to have significantly overlapping peptide binding repertoires. Specifically, of 13 peptides that bound either DQ2.3 or DQ3.2, nine (69.2%) bound both. The molecular basis of this high degree of cross-reactivity was further investigated with panels of single substitution analogs of the thyroid peroxidase 632-645Y epitope. It was found that DQ2.3 and DQ3.2 bind the same ligands by using similar anchor residues but different registers. These data suggest that in analogy to what was previously described for HLA-DR molecules, HLA-DQ supertypes characterized by largely overlapping binding repertoires can be defined. In light of the known linkage of both HLA-DQ2.3 and -DQ3.2 with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and celiac disease, these results might have important implications for understanding HLA class II autoimmune disease associations.
Collapse
|
9
|
Caro-Aguilar I, Rodríguez A, Calvo-Calle JM, Guzmán F, De la Vega P, Patarroyo ME, Galinski MR, Moreno A. Plasmodium vivax promiscuous T-helper epitopes defined and evaluated as linear peptide chimera immunogens. Infect Immun 2002; 70:3479-92. [PMID: 12065487 PMCID: PMC128085 DOI: 10.1128/iai.70.7.3479-3492.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials of malaria vaccines have confirmed that parasite-derived T-cell epitopes are required to elicit consistent and long-lasting immune responses. We report here the identification and functional characterization of six T-cell epitopes that are present in the merozoite surface protein-1 of Plasmodium vivax (PvMSP-1) and bind promiscuously to four different HLA-DRB1* alleles. Each of these peptides induced lymphoproliferative responses in cells from individuals with previous P. vivax infections. Furthermore, linear-peptide chimeras containing the promiscuous PvMSP-1 T-cell epitopes, synthesized in tandem with the Plasmodium falciparum immunodominant circumsporozoite protein (CSP) B-cell epitope, induced high specific antibody titers, cytokine production, long-lasting immune responses, and immunoglobulin G isotype class switching in BALB/c mice. A linear-peptide chimera containing an allele-restricted P. falciparum T-cell epitope with the CSP B-cell epitope was not effective. Two out of the six promiscuous T-cell epitopes exhibiting the highest anti-peptide response also contain B-cell epitopes. Antisera generated against these B-cell epitopes recognize P. vivax merozoites in immunofluorescence assays. Importantly, the anti-peptide antibodies generated to the CSP B-cell epitope inhibited the invasion of P. falciparum sporozoites into human hepatocytes. These data and the simplicity of design of the chimeric constructs highlight the potential of multimeric, multistage, and multispecies linear-peptide chimeras containing parasite promiscuous T-cell epitopes for malaria vaccine development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivette Caro-Aguilar
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kushwaha A, Rao PP, Suresh RP, Chauhan VS. Immunogenicity of recombinant fragments of Plasmodium falciparum acidic basic repeat antigen produced in Escherichia coli. Parasite Immunol 2001; 23:435-44. [PMID: 11489167 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-3024.2001.00390.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The acidic basic repeat antigen (ABRA) of Plasmodium falciparum is a potential vaccine candidate against erythrocytic stages of malaria. We report, for the first time, the immunological characteristics of recombinant ABRA constructs. The recombinant proteins representing different fragments of ABRA were expressed in Escherichia coli, either as fusions with maltose binding protein or as 6X histidine tagged molecules, and purified by affinity chromatography. Immunogenicity studies with these constructs in rabbits and mice indicated that the N-terminal region is the least immunogenic part of ABRA. T-cell proliferation experiments in mice immunized with these constructs revealed that the T-cell epitopes were localized in the middle portion of the protein. More importantly, the purified immunoglobulin G specific to middle and C-terminal fragments prevented parasite growth at levels approaching 80-90%. We found that these proteins were also recognized by sera from P. falciparum-infected patients from Rourkela, a malaria endemic zone of India. Our immunogenicity results suggest that potential of ABRA as a vaccine candidate antigen should be investigated further.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Kushwaha
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|