1
|
Hernández-Zambrano LJ, Alfonso-González H, Buitrago SP, Castro-Cavadía CJ, Garzón-Ospina D. Exploring the genetic diversity pattern of PvEBP/DBP2: A promising candidate for an effective Plasmodium vivax vaccine. Acta Trop 2024; 255:107231. [PMID: 38685340 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Malaria remains a public health challenge. Since many control strategies have proven ineffective in eradicating this disease, new strategies are required, among which the design of a multivalent vaccine stands out. However, the effectiveness of this strategy has been hindered, among other reasons, by the genetic diversity observed in parasite antigens. In Plasmodium vivax, the Erythrocyte Binding Protein (PvEBP, also known as DBP2) is an alternate ligand to Duffy Binding Protein (DBP); given its structural resemblance to DBP, EBP/DBP2 is proposed as a promising antigen for inclusion in vaccine design. However, the extent of genetic diversity within the locus encoding this protein has not been comprehensively assessed. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the genetic diversity of the locus encoding the P. vivax EBP/DBP2 protein and to determine the evolutionary mechanisms modulating this diversity. Several intrapopulation genetic variation parameters were estimated using 36 gene sequences of PvEBP/DBP2 from Colombian P. vivax clinical isolates and 186 sequences available in databases. The study then evaluated the worldwide genetic structure and the evolutionary forces that may influence the observed patterns of genetic variation. It was found that the PvEBP/DBP2 gene exhibits one of the lowest levels of genetic diversity compared to other vaccine-candidate antigens. Four major haplotypes were shared worldwide. Analysis of the protein's 3D structure and epitope prediction identified five regions with potential antigenic properties. The results suggest that the PvEBP/DBP2 protein possesses ideal characteristics to be considered when designing a multivalent effective antimalarial vaccine against P. vivax.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Hernández-Zambrano
- Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia; Population Genetics And Molecular Evolution (PGAME), Fundación Scient, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Heliairis Alfonso-González
- Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia; Population Genetics And Molecular Evolution (PGAME), Fundación Scient, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Sindy P Buitrago
- Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia; Population Genetics And Molecular Evolution (PGAME), Fundación Scient, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Carlos J Castro-Cavadía
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas y Biomédicas de Córdoba (GIMBIC), School of Health Sciences, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Diego Garzón-Ospina
- Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia; Population Genetics And Molecular Evolution (PGAME), Fundación Scient, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
da Veiga GTS, Moriggi MR, Vettorazzi JF, Müller-Santos M, Albrecht L. Plasmodium vivax vaccine: What is the best way to go? Front Immunol 2023; 13:910236. [PMID: 36726991 PMCID: PMC9885200 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.910236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is one of the most devastating human infectious diseases caused by Plasmodium spp. parasites. A search for an effective and safe vaccine is the main challenge for its eradication. Plasmodium vivax is the second most prevalent Plasmodium species and the most geographically distributed parasite and has been neglected for decades. This has a massive gap in knowledge and consequently in the development of vaccines. The most significant difficulties in obtaining a vaccine against P. vivax are the high genetic diversity and the extremely complex life cycle. Due to its complexity, studies have evaluated P. vivax antigens from different stages as potential targets for an effective vaccine. Therefore, the main vaccine candidates are grouped into preerythrocytic stage vaccines, blood-stage vaccines, and transmission-blocking vaccines. This review aims to support future investigations by presenting the main findings of vivax malaria vaccines to date. There are only a few P. vivax vaccines in clinical trials, and thus far, the best protective efficacy was a vaccine formulated with synthetic peptide from a circumsporozoite protein and Montanide ISA-51 as an adjuvant with 54.5% efficacy in a phase IIa study. In addition, the majority of P. vivax antigen candidates are polymorphic, induce strain-specific and heterogeneous immunity and provide only partial protection. Nevertheless, immunization with recombinant proteins and multiantigen vaccines have shown promising results and have emerged as excellent strategies. However, more studies are necessary to assess the ideal vaccine combination and test it in clinical trials. Developing a safe and effective vaccine against vivax malaria is essential for controlling and eliminating the disease. Therefore, it is necessary to determine what is already known to propose and identify new candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gisele Tatiane Soares da Veiga
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Parasites Research, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Curitiba, Brazil,Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | | | - Marcelo Müller-Santos
- Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Letusa Albrecht
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Parasites Research, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Curitiba, Brazil,*Correspondence: Letusa Albrecht,
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Park JH, Kim MH, Sutanto E, Na SW, Kim MJ, Yeom JS, Nyunt MH, Abbas Elfaki MM, Abdel Hamid MM, Cha SH, Alemu SG, Sriprawat K, Anstey NM, Grigg MJ, Barber BE, William T, Gao Q, Liu Y, Pearson RD, Price RN, Nosten F, Yoon SI, No JH, Han ET, Auburn S, Russell B, Han JH. Geographical distribution and genetic diversity of Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte binding protein 1a correlates with patient antigenicity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010492. [PMID: 35737709 PMCID: PMC9258880 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread cause of human malaria. Recent reports of drug resistant vivax malaria and the challenge of eradicating the dormant liver forms increase the importance of vaccine development against this relapsing disease. P. vivax reticulocyte binding protein 1a (PvRBP1a) is a potential vaccine candidate, which is involved in red cell tropism, a crucial step in the merozoite invasion of host reticulocytes. As part of the initial evaluation of the PvRBP1a vaccine candidate, we investigated its genetic diversity and antigenicity using geographically diverse clinical isolates. We analysed pvrbp1a genetic polymorphisms using 202 vivax clinical isolates from six countries. Pvrbp1a was separated into six regions based on specific domain features, sequence conserved/polymorphic regions, and the reticulocyte binding like (RBL) domains. In the fragmented gene sequence analysis, PvRBP1a region II (RII) and RIII (head and tail structure homolog, 152-625 aa.) showed extensive polymorphism caused by random point mutations. The haplotype network of these polymorphic regions was classified into three clusters that converged to independent populations. Antigenicity screening was performed using recombinant proteins PvRBP1a-N (157-560 aa.) and PvRBP1a-C (606-962 aa.), which contained head and tail structure region and sequence conserved region, respectively. Sensitivity against PvRBP1a-N (46.7%) was higher than PvRBP1a-C (17.8%). PvRBP1a-N was reported as a reticulocyte binding domain and this study identified a linear epitope with moderate antigenicity, thus an attractive domain for merozoite invasion-blocking vaccine development. However, our study highlights that a global PvRBP1a-based vaccine design needs to overcome several difficulties due to three distinct genotypes and low antigenicity levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hoon Park
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Hee Kim
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Edwin Sutanto
- Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Seok-Won Na
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jae Kim
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Sup Yeom
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Mohammed Mohieldien Abbas Elfaki
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jizan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muzamil Mahdi Abdel Hamid
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Seok Ho Cha
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sisay Getachew Alemu
- College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Jimma Road, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Bioreliance, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kanlaya Sriprawat
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand
| | - Nicholas M. Anstey
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | - Matthew J. Grigg
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Society Sabah-Menzies School of Health Research Clinical Research Unit, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Bridget E. Barber
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Society Sabah-Menzies School of Health Research Clinical Research Unit, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Timothy William
- Infectious Diseases Society Sabah-Menzies School of Health Research Clinical Research Unit, Sabah, Malaysia
- Clinical Research Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sabah, Malaysia
- Gleneagles Hospital, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Qi Gao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Yaobao Liu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Ric N. Price
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Francois Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sung-Il Yoon
- Division of Biomedical Convergence, College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Hwan No
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Taek Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sarah Auburn
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bruce Russell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jin-Hee Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Global diversity and balancing selection of 23 leading Plasmodium falciparum candidate vaccine antigens. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009801. [PMID: 35108259 PMCID: PMC8843232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigation of the diversity of malaria parasite antigens can help prioritize and validate them as vaccine candidates and identify the most common variants for inclusion in vaccine formulations. Studies of vaccine candidates of the most virulent human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, have focused on a handful of well-known antigens, while several others have never been studied. Here we examine the global diversity and population structure of leading vaccine candidate antigens of P. falciparum using the MalariaGEN Pf3K (version 5.1) resource, comprising more than 2600 genomes from 15 malaria endemic countries. A stringent variant calling pipeline was used to extract high quality antigen gene 'haplotypes' from the global dataset and a new R-package named VaxPack was used to streamline population genetic analyses. In addition, a newly developed algorithm that enables spatial averaging of selection pressure on 3D protein structures was applied to the dataset. We analysed the genes encoding 23 leading and novel candidate malaria vaccine antigens including csp, trap, eba175, ama1, rh5, and CelTOS. Our analysis shows that current malaria vaccine formulations are based on rare haplotypes and thus may have limited efficacy against natural parasite populations. High levels of diversity with evidence of balancing selection was detected for most of the erythrocytic and pre-erythrocytic antigens. Measures of natural selection were then mapped to 3D protein structures to predict targets of functional antibodies. For some antigens, geographical variation in the intensity and distribution of these signals on the 3D structure suggests adaptation to different human host or mosquito vector populations. This study provides an essential framework for the diversity of P. falciparum antigens to be considered in the design of the next generation of malaria vaccines.
Collapse
|
5
|
Rougeron V, Boundenga L, Arnathau C, Durand P, Renaud F, Prugnolle F. A population genetic perspective on the origin, spread and adaptation of the human malaria agents Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 46:6373923. [PMID: 34550355 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is considered one of the most important scourges that humanity has faced during its history, being responsible every year for numerous deaths worldwide. The disease is caused by protozoan parasites, among which two species are responsible of the majority of the burden, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. For these two parasite species, the questions of their origin (how and when they appeared in humans), of their spread throughout the world, as well as how they have adapted to humans have long been of interest to the scientific community. Here, we review the current knowledge that has accumulated on these different questions, thanks in particular to the analysis of the genetic and genomic variability of these parasites and comparison with related Plasmodium species infecting other host species (like non-human primates). In this paper we review the existing body of knowledge, including current research dealing with these questions, focusing particularly on genetic analysis and genomic variability of these parasites and comparison with related Plasmodium species infecting other species of host (such as non-human primates).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Rougeron
- Laboratory MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 900 rue Jean François Breton, 34090 Montpellier, France.,CREES, Centre de Recherches en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé, Montpellier, France
| | - Larson Boundenga
- CIRMF, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Céline Arnathau
- Laboratory MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 900 rue Jean François Breton, 34090 Montpellier, France.,CREES, Centre de Recherches en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé, Montpellier, France
| | - Patrick Durand
- Laboratory MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 900 rue Jean François Breton, 34090 Montpellier, France.,CREES, Centre de Recherches en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé, Montpellier, France
| | - François Renaud
- Laboratory MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 900 rue Jean François Breton, 34090 Montpellier, France.,CREES, Centre de Recherches en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé, Montpellier, France
| | - Franck Prugnolle
- Laboratory MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 900 rue Jean François Breton, 34090 Montpellier, France.,CREES, Centre de Recherches en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kepple D, Pestana K, Tomida J, Abebe A, Golassa L, Lo E. Alternative Invasion Mechanisms and Host Immune Response to Plasmodium vivax Malaria: Trends and Future Directions. Microorganisms 2020; 9:E15. [PMID: 33374596 PMCID: PMC7822457 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax malaria is a neglected tropical disease, despite being more geographically widespread than any other form of malaria. The documentation of P. vivax infections in different parts of Africa where Duffy-negative individuals are predominant suggested that there are alternative pathways for P. vivax to invade human erythrocytes. Duffy-negative individuals may be just as fit as Duffy-positive individuals and are no longer resistant to P.vivax malaria. In this review, we describe the complexity of P. vivax malaria, characterize pathogenesis and candidate invasion genes of P. vivax, and host immune responses to P. vivax infections. We provide a comprehensive review on parasite ligands in several Plasmodium species that further justify candidate genes in P. vivax. We also summarize previous genomic and transcriptomic studies related to the identification of ligand and receptor proteins in P. vivax erythrocyte invasion. Finally, we identify topics that remain unclear and propose future studies that will greatly contribute to our knowledge of P. vivax.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kepple
- Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (K.P.); (J.T.)
| | - Kareen Pestana
- Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (K.P.); (J.T.)
| | - Junya Tomida
- Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (K.P.); (J.T.)
| | - Abnet Abebe
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa 1000, Ethiopia;
| | - Lemu Golassa
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, Ethiopia;
| | - Eugenia Lo
- Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (K.P.); (J.T.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bittencourt NC, da Silva ABIE, Virgili NS, Schappo AP, Gervásio JHDB, Pimenta TS, Kujbida Junior MA, Ventura AMRS, Libonati RMF, Silva-Filho JL, dos Santos HG, Lopes SCP, Lacerda MVG, Machado RLD, Costa FTM, Albrecht L. Plasmodium vivax AMA1: Implications of distinct haplotypes for immune response. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008471. [PMID: 32639964 PMCID: PMC7371208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In Brazil, Plasmodium vivax infection accounts for around 80% of malaria cases. This infection has a substantial impact on the productivity of the local population as the course of the disease is usually prolonged and the development of acquired immunity in endemic areas takes several years. The recent emergence of drug-resistant strains has intensified research on alternative control methods such as vaccines. There is currently no effective available vaccine against malaria; however, numerous candidates have been studied in the past several years. One of the leading candidates is apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1). This protein is involved in the invasion of Apicomplexa parasites into host cells, participating in the formation of a moving junction. Understanding how the genetic diversity of an antigen influences the immune response is highly important for vaccine development. In this study, we analyzed the diversity of AMA1 from Brazilian P. vivax isolates and 19 haplotypes of P. vivax were found. Among those sequences, 33 nonsynonymous PvAMA1 amino acid sites were identified, whereas 20 of these sites were determined to be located in predicted B-cell epitopes. Nonsynonymous mutations were evaluated for their influence on the immune recognition of these antigens. Two distinct haplotypes, 5 and 16, were expressed and evaluated for reactivity in individuals from northern Brazil. Both PvAMA1 variants were reactive. Moreover, the IgG antibody response to these two PvAMA1 variants was analyzed in an exposed but noninfected population from a P. vivax endemic area. Interestingly, over 40% of this population had antibodies recognizing both variants. These results have implications for the design of a vaccine based on a polymorphic antigen. Plasmodium vivax is the most abundant Plasmodium species in Brazil. While this species has been neglected for many years, the recent emergence of drug-resistant strains and the absence of a vaccine intensified the efforts for a better control method. Naturally acquired immune response analysis is a useful tool for understanding the antigenicity of Plasmodium proteins and evaluating the potential of a vaccine candidate. In this study, the genetic variability of one of the leading P. vivax vaccine candidates (PvAMA1) was analyzed. Two distinct variants were expressed and the antibody response was evaluated in infected and noninfected individuals in the Brazilian Amazon. This improved understanding of the magnitude and dynamics of the antibody response will contribute to the knowledge of a vaccine candidate and open new perspectives in vivax malaria vaccine development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Najara Carneiro Bittencourt
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Natália Silveira Virgili
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Schappo
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz–FIOCRUZ. Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Tamirys S. Pimenta
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - João Luiz Silva-Filho
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Stefanie C. P. Lopes
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Gerência de Malária, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, FIOCRUZ-AMAZONAS, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Marcus V. G. Lacerda
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Gerência de Malária, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, FIOCRUZ-AMAZONAS, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Ricardo L. D. Machado
- Centro de Investigação de Microrganismos, Universidade Federal Fluminense, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fabio T. M. Costa
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Letusa Albrecht
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz–FIOCRUZ. Curitiba, PR, Brazil
- * E-mail: ,
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hotspots in Plasmodium and RBC Receptor-Ligand Interactions: Key Pieces for Inhibiting Malarial Parasite Invasion. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134729. [PMID: 32630804 PMCID: PMC7370042 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (IPP) play an essential role in practically all biological processes, including those related to microorganism invasion of their host cells. It has been found that a broad repertoire of receptor-ligand interactions takes place in the binding interphase with host cells in malaria, these being vital interactions for successful parasite invasion. Several trials have been conducted for elucidating the molecular interface of interactions between some Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax antigens with receptors on erythrocytes and/or reticulocytes. Structural information concerning these complexes is available; however, deeper analysis is required for correlating structural, functional (binding, invasion, and inhibition), and polymorphism data for elucidating new interaction hotspots to which malaria control methods can be directed. This review describes and discusses recent structural and functional details regarding three relevant interactions during erythrocyte invasion: Duffy-binding protein 1 (DBP1)–Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC); reticulocyte-binding protein homolog 5 (PfRh5)-basigin, and erythrocyte binding antigen 175 (EBA175)-glycophorin A (GPA).
Collapse
|
9
|
Guy AJ, Irani V, Richards JS, Ramsland PA. BioStructMap: a Python tool for integration of protein structure and sequence-based features. Bioinformatics 2019; 34:3942-3944. [PMID: 29931276 PMCID: PMC6223362 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/bty474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Summary A sliding window analysis over a protein or genomic sequence is commonly performed, and we present a Python tool, BioStructMap, that extends this concept to three-dimensional (3D) space, allowing the application of a 3D sliding window analysis over a protein structure. BioStructMap is easily extensible, allowing the user to apply custom functions to spatially aggregated data. BioStructMap also allows mapping of underlying genomic sequences to protein structures, allowing the user to perform genetic-based analysis over spatially linked codons-this has applications when selection pressures arise at the level of protein structure. Availability and implementation The Python BioStructMap package is available at https://github.com/andrewguy/biostructmap and released under the MIT License. An online server implementing standard functionality is available at https://biostructmap.burnet.edu.au. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Guy
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vashti Irani
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jack S Richards
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul A Ramsland
- Life Sciences, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Surgery, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.,School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
|