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Hawadak J, Kojom Foko LP, Dongang Nana RR, Yadav K, Pande V, Das A, Singh V. Genetic diversity and natural selection of apical membrane antigen-1 (ama-1) in Cameroonian Plasmodium falciparum isolates. Gene 2024; 894:147956. [PMID: 37925116 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147956] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Antigenic variation associated with genetic diversity in global Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen-1 (PfAMA-1) is a major impediment to designing an effective malaria vaccine. Here, we report the first study on genetic diversity and natural selection of the Pfama-1 gene in P. falciparum isolates from Cameroon. A total of 328 P. falciparum positive samples collected during 2016 and 2019 from five localities of Cameroon were analysed. The ectodomain coding fragment of Pfama-1 gene was amplified for polymorphism profiling and natural selection analysis. A total of 108 distinct haplotypes were found in 203 P. falciparum isolates with considerable nucleotide diversity (π = 0.016) and haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.976). Most amino acid substitutions detected were scattered in ectodomain-I and few specific mutations viz P145L, K148Q, K462I, L463F, N471K, S482L, E537G, K546R and I547F were seen only in Cameroonian isolates. A tendency of natural selection towards positive diversifying selection was observed (Taj-D = 2.058). Five positively selected codon sites (P145L, S283L, Q308E/K, P330S and I547F) were identified, which overlapped with predicted B-cell epitopes and red blood cell (RBC) binding sites, suggesting their potential implication in host immune pressure and parasite-RBC binding complex modulation. The Cameroonian P. falciparum populations indicated a moderate level of genetic differentiation when compared with global sequences, with few exceptions from Vietnam and Venezuela. Our findings provide baseline data on existing Pfama-1 gene polymorphisms in Cameroonian field isolates, which will be useful information for malaria vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Hawadak
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Delhi, India; Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Loick Pradel Kojom Foko
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Delhi, India; Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Rodrigue Roman Dongang Nana
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Delhi, India; Institut de Recherches Médicales et D'Etudes des Plantes Médicinales (IMPM), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Karmveer Yadav
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Delhi, India
| | - Veena Pande
- Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Aparup Das
- ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH), Jabalpur, India.
| | - Vineeta Singh
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Delhi, India.
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Jahnmatz P, Nyabundi D, Sundling C, Widman L, Mwacharo J, Musyoki J, Otieno E, Ahlborg N, Bejon P, Ndungu FM, Färnert A. Plasmodium falciparum-Specific Memory B-Cell and Antibody Responses Are Associated With Immunity in Children Living in an Endemic Area of Kenya. Front Immunol 2022; 13:799306. [PMID: 35355994 PMCID: PMC8959630 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.799306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the mechanism of naturally acquired immunity against Plasmodium falciparum malaria could contribute to the design of effective malaria vaccines. Using a recently developed multiplexed FluoroSpot assay, we assessed cross-sectional pre-existing memory B-cells (MBCs) and antibody responses against six well known P. falciparum antigens (MSP-119, MSP-2 (3D7), MSP-2 (FC27), MSP-3, AMA-1 and CSP) and measured their associations with previous infections and time to clinical malaria in the ensuing malaria season in Kenyan children. These children were under active weekly surveillance for malaria as part of a long-term longitudinal malaria immunology cohort study, where they are recruited from birth. After performing Cox regression analysis, we found that children with a breadth of three or more antigen-specific MBC or antibody responses at the baseline had a reduced risk for malaria in the ensuing P. falciparum transmission season. Specifically, MBC responses against AMA-1, MSP-2 (3D7) and MSP-3, as well as antibody responses to MSP-2 (3D7) and MSP-3 were prospectively associated with a reduced risk for malaria. The magnitude or breadth of MBC responses were however not correlated with the cumulative number of malaria episodes since birth. We conclude that increased breadth for merozoite antigen-specific MBC and antibody responses is associated with protection against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Jahnmatz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Mabtech AB, Nacka Strand, Sweden
| | - Diana Nyabundi
- KEMRI - Wellcome Research Programme/Centre for Geographical Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Christopher Sundling
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linnea Widman
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jedidah Mwacharo
- KEMRI - Wellcome Research Programme/Centre for Geographical Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Jennifer Musyoki
- KEMRI - Wellcome Research Programme/Centre for Geographical Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Edward Otieno
- KEMRI - Wellcome Research Programme/Centre for Geographical Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Niklas Ahlborg
- Mabtech AB, Nacka Strand, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Philip Bejon
- KEMRI - Wellcome Research Programme/Centre for Geographical Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Francis M. Ndungu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- KEMRI - Wellcome Research Programme/Centre for Geographical Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Färnert
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Nirmolia T, Ahmed MA, Sathishkumar V, Sarma NP, Bhattacharyya DR, Mohapatra PK, Bansal D, Bharti PK, Sehgal R, Mahanta J, Sultan AA, Narain K, Patgiri SJ. Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum AMA-1 antigen from the Northeast Indian state of Tripura and comparison with global sequences: implications for vaccine development. Malar J 2022; 21:62. [PMID: 35193607 PMCID: PMC8861999 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04081-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria continues to be a major public health problem in the Northeastern part of India despite the implementation of vector control measures and changes in drug policies. To develop successful vaccines against malaria, it is important to assess the diversity of vaccine candidate antigens in field isolates. This study was done to assess the diversity of Plasmodium falciparum AMA-1 vaccine candidate antigen in a malaria-endemic region of Tripura in Northeast India and compare it with previously reported global isolates with a view to assess the feasibility of developing a universal vaccine based on this antigen. Methods Patients with fever and malaria-like illness were screened for malaria and P. falciparum positive cases were recruited for the current study. The diversity of PfAMA-1 vaccine candidate antigen was evaluated by nested PCR and RFLP. A selected number of samples were sequenced using the Sanger technique. Results Among 56 P. falciparum positive isolates, Pfama-1 was successfully amplified in 75% (n = 42) isolates. Allele frequencies of PfAMA-1 antigen were 16.6% (n = 7) for 3D7 allele and 33.3% (n = 14) in both K1 and HB3 alleles. DNA sequencing revealed 13 haplotypes in the Pfama-1 gene including three unique haplotypes not reported earlier. No unique amino-acid substitutions were found. Global analysis with 2761 sequences revealed 435 haplotypes with a very complex network composition and few clusters. Nucleotide diversity for Tripura (0.02582 ± 0.00160) showed concordance with South-East Asian isolates while recombination parameter (Rm = 8) was lower than previous reports from India. Population genetic structure showed moderate differentiation. Conclusions Besides documenting all previously reported allelic forms of the vaccine candidate PfAMA-1 antigen of P. falciparum, new haplotypes not reported earlier, were found in Tripura. Neutrality tests indicate that the Pfama-1 population in Tripura is under balancing selection. This is consistent with global patterns. However, the high haplotype diversity observed in the global Pfama-1 network analysis indicates that designing a universal vaccine based on this antigen may be difficult. This information adds to the existing database of genetic diversity of field isolates of P. falciparum and may be helpful in the development of more effective vaccines against the parasite. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04081-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tulika Nirmolia
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India
| | - Md Atique Ahmed
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India
| | - Vinayagam Sathishkumar
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India
| | - Nilanju P Sarma
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India.,SRL Reference Laboratory, Mumbai, 400060, India
| | - Dibya R Bhattacharyya
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India
| | - Pradyumna K Mohapatra
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India
| | - Devendra Bansal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Cornell University, Doha, Qatar.,Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
| | - Praveen K Bharti
- ICMR - National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, 482003, India
| | - Rakesh Sehgal
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, Punjab, 160012, India
| | - Jagadish Mahanta
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India
| | - Ali A Sultan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Cornell University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Kanwar Narain
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India
| | - Saurav J Patgiri
- ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, North East Region, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786001, India.
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Jahnmatz P, Sundling C, Yman V, Widman L, Asghar M, Sondén K, Stenström C, Smedman C, Ndungu F, Ahlborg N, Färnert A. Memory B-Cell Responses Against Merozoite Antigens After Acute Plasmodium falciparum Malaria, Assessed Over One Year Using a Novel Multiplexed FluoroSpot Assay. Front Immunol 2021; 11:619398. [PMID: 33679707 PMCID: PMC7928423 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.619398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory B cells (MBCs) are believed to be important for the maintenance of immunity to malaria, and these cells need to be explored in the context of different parasite antigens and their breadth and kinetics after natural infections. However, frequencies of antigen-specific MBCs are low in peripheral blood, limiting the number of antigens that can be studied, especially when small blood volumes are available. Here, we developed a multiplexed reversed B-cell FluoroSpot assay capable of simultaneously detecting MBCs specific for the four Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage antigens, MSP-119, MSP-2, MSP-3 and AMA-1. We used the assay to study the kinetics of the MBC response after an acute episode of malaria and up to one year following treatment in travelers returning to Sweden from sub-Saharan Africa. We show that the FluoroSpot assay can detect MBCs to all four merozoite antigens in the same well, and that the breadth and kinetics varied between individuals. We further found that individuals experiencing a primary infection could mount and maintain parasite-specific MBCs to a similar extent as previously exposed adults, already after a single infection. We conclude that the multiplexed B-cell FluoroSpot is a powerful tool for assessing antigen-specific MBC responses to several antigens simultaneously, and that the kinetics of MBC responses against merozoite surface antigens differ over the course of one year. These findings contribute to the understanding of acquisition and maintenance of immune responses to malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Jahnmatz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.,Mabtech AB, Nacka Strand, Sweden
| | - Christopher Sundling
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Victor Yman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linnea Widman
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Muhammad Asghar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Klara Sondén
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christine Stenström
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Francis Ndungu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.,Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)/Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Niklas Ahlborg
- Mabtech AB, Nacka Strand, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Färnert
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Agwang C, Erume J, Okech B, Olobo J, Egwang TG. Age-dependent carriage of alleles and haplotypes of Plasmodium falciparum sera5, eba-175, and csp in a region of intense malaria transmission in Uganda. Malar J 2020; 19:361. [PMID: 33032613 PMCID: PMC7543040 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03432-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of malaria vaccines is constrained by genetic polymorphisms exhibited by Plasmodium falciparum antigens. The project the age-dependent distribution of alleles or haplotypes of three P. falciparum malaria vaccine candidates, Circumsporozoite Protein (csp), Erythrocyte Binding Antigen 175 (eba-175) and Serine Repeat Antigen 5 (sera5) in a region of intense malaria transmission in Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out between August and November 2009 in which 250 study participants were selected from a population of 600. Finger prick blood samples were collected after informed consent from participants below 5 years, 5–10 years, and above 10 years of age. Blood was used for microscopy, RDT and dried blood spots. Plasmodium falciparum DNA was extracted by chelex method. Alleles of sera5 and eba-175 were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by resolution of products by agarose gel electrophoresis. Allele calling was done using gel photographs from ethiduim bromide stained gels. Haplotypes of csp were identified by sequencing 63 PCR products using the P. falciparum 7G8 laboratory strain sequence as a reference. The data were analysed using SPSS 16, EQX for windows and Chi-square test was used to calculate associations (P-values), Excel was used to generate graphs. The BioEdit and NCBI blast software programs were used to analyse the sequences from which csp haplotypes map was constructed. Results Eba-175 FCR3 (48/178) and CAMP (16/178) alleles were observed, the FCR3 (24/67) allele being predominant among children aged below 5 years old while the CAMP (12/67) allele was predominant among older participants. Sera5 alleles ORI (6/204) and ORII (103/204) were observed in the population, ORII was more prevalent and was significantly associated with age (P values < 0.0001), parasite density (P-value < 0.0001) and clinical outcomes (P value = 0.018). There was marked csp diversity in the Th2/Th3 region. Out of 63 sequences, 16 conformed to the reference strain and one (1/16) was similar to a West African haplotype and the majority (14/16) of the haplotypes were unique to this study region. There was an age-dependent distribution of csp haplotypes with more haplotypes being harbored by children < 5-year of age, (10/16) compared to adults (2/16). Interestingly, the csp haplotype corresponding to 3D7 whose prototypical sequence is identical to the sequence of the leading malaria vaccine candidate RTS, S was not observed. Conclusion This data suggest that the eba-175 FCR3 allele, sera5 ORII allele, and csp haplotypes are targets of host immunity and under immune selection pressure in Apac District. These molecules could provide alternative malaria vaccine candidates as sub-unit vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph Erume
- Makerere University College of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University, College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Brenda Okech
- Med Biotech Laboratories, PO Box 9364, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joseph Olobo
- Makerere University College of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University, College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
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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).
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7
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Lê HG, Thái TL, Kang JM, Lee J, Moe M, Võ TC, Naw H, Myint MK, Htun ZT, Kim TS, Shin HJ, Na BK. Genetic polymorphism of merozoite surface protein-3 in Myanmar Plasmodium falciparum field isolates. Malar J 2020; 19:184. [PMID: 32429986 PMCID: PMC7235555 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03256-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-3 (PfMSP-3) is a target of naturally acquired immunity against P. falciparum infection and is a promising vaccine candidate because of its critical role in the erythrocyte invasion of the parasite. Understanding the genetic diversity of pfmsp-3 is important for recognizing genetic nature and evolutionary aspect of the gene in the natural P. falciparum population and for designing an effective vaccine based on the antigen. Methods Blood samples collected from P. falciparum-infected patients in Naung Cho and Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar, in 2015 were used in this study. The pfmsp-3 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, cloned, and sequenced. Genetic polymorphism and natural selection of Myanmar pfmsp-3 were analysed using the programs DNASTAR, MEGA6, and DnaSP 5.10.00. Genetic diversity and natural selection of the global pfmsp-3 were also comparatively analysed. Results Myanmar pfmsp-3 displayed 2 different alleles, 3D7 and K1. The 3D7 allelic type was predominant in the population, but genetic polymorphism was less diverse than for the K1 allelic type. Polymorphic characters in both allelic types were caused by amino acid substitutions, insertions, and deletions. Amino acid substitutions were mainly occurred at the alanine heptad repeat domains, whereas most insertions and deletions were found at the glutamate rich domain. Overall patterns of amino acid polymorphisms detected in Myanmar pfmsp-3 were similar in the global pfmsp-3 population, but novel amino acid changes were observed in Myanmar pfmsp-3 with low frequencies. Complicated patterns of natural selection and recombination events were predicted in the global pfmsp-3, which may act as major driving forces to maintain and generate genetic diversity of the global pfmsp-3 population. Conclusion Global pfmsp-3 revealed genetic polymorphisms, suggesting that the functional and structural consequences of the polymorphisms should be considered in designing a vaccine based on PfMSP-3. Further examination of genetic diversity of pfmsp-3 in the global P. falciparum population is necessary to gain in-depth insight for the population structure and evolutionary aspect of global pfmsp-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hương Giang Lê
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Thị Lam Thái
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Lee
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Mya Moe
- Department of Medical Research Pyin Oo Lwin Branch, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar
| | - Tuấn Cường Võ
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Haung Naw
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Moe Kyaw Myint
- Department of Medical Research Pyin Oo Lwin Branch, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar
| | - Zaw Than Htun
- Department of Medical Research Pyin Oo Lwin Branch, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar
| | - Tong-Soo Kim
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Joon Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea. .,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.
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Mehrizi AA, Jafari Zadeh A, Zakeri S, Djadid ND. Population genetic structure analysis of thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) as a vaccine candidate antigen in worldwide Plasmodium falciparum isolates. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 80:104197. [PMID: 31954917 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Antigenic diversity is a major concern in malaria vaccine development that requires to be considered in developing a malaria vaccine. Plasmodium falciparum thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (PfTRAP) is a leading malaria vaccine candidate antigen. In the current study, we investigated the level of genetic diversity and natural selection of pftrap sequences in P. falciparum isolates from Iran (n = 47). The gene diversity of Iranian pftrap sequences was also compared to available global pftrap sequences deposited in the GenBank or PlasmoDB databases (n = 220). Comparison of Iranian PfTRAP sequences with T9/96 reference sequence showed the presence of 35 amino acid changes in 32 positions and a limited variation in repeat sequences, leading to 13 distinct haplotypes. The overall nucleotide diversity (π) for the ectodomain of Iranian pftrap sequences was 0.00444 ± 0.00043, with the highest diversity in Domain IV. Alignment comparison of global PfTRAP sequences with T9/96 reference sequence indicated 96 amino acid replacements as well as extensive variable repeat sequences (9-23 repeats), which led to 192 haplotypes. Among the global isolates, the lowest nucleotide diversity was detected in French Guianan (0.00428 ± 0.00163) and Iranian (0.00444 ± 0.00043) pftrap sequences, and the most variation was observed in domains II and IV in all populations. The dN-dS value displayed the evidence of positive selection due to recombination and immune system pressure. The Fst analysis revealed a gene flow between African populations; however, genetic differentiation observed between Iranian and other populations probably was due to gene flow barriers. Both conserved and variable epitopes were predicted in B- and T-cell epitopes of PfTRAP antigen. The obtained results from this study could be helpful for developing a PfTRAP-based malaria vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Abouie Mehrizi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O.BOX 1316943551, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Azadeh Jafari Zadeh
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O.BOX 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sedigheh Zakeri
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O.BOX 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
| | - Navid Dinparast Djadid
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O.BOX 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
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Sanasam BD, Kumar S. PRE-binding protein of Plasmodium falciparum is a potential candidate for vaccine design and development: An in silico evaluation of the hypothesis. Med Hypotheses 2019; 125:119-123. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Pritam M, Singh G, Swaroop S, Singh AK, Singh SP. Exploitation of reverse vaccinology and immunoinformatics as promising platform for genome-wide screening of new effective vaccine candidates against Plasmodium falciparum. BMC Bioinformatics 2019; 19:468. [PMID: 30717656 PMCID: PMC7394322 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-018-2482-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the current scenario, designing of world-wide effective malaria vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum remain challenging despite the significant progress has been made in last few decades. Conventional vaccinology (isolate, inactivate and inject) approaches are time consuming, laborious and expensive; therefore, the use of computational vaccinology tools are imperative, which can facilitate the design of new and promising vaccine candidates. Results In current investigation, initially 5548 proteins of P. falciparum genome were carefully chosen for the incidence of signal peptide/ anchor using SignalP4.0 tool that resulted into 640 surface linked proteins (SLP). Out of these SLP, only 17 were predicted to contain GPI-anchors using PredGPI tool in which further 5 proteins were considered as malarial antigenic adhesins by MAAP and VaxiJen programs, respectively. In the subsequent step, T cell epitopes of 5 genome derived predicted antigenic adhesins (GDPAA) and 5 randomly selected known malarial adhesins (RSKMA) were analysed employing MHC class I and II tools of IEDB analysis resource. Finally, VaxiJen scored T cell epitopes from each antigen were considered for prediction of population coverage (PPC) analysis in the world-wide population including malaria endemic regions. The validation of the present in silico strategy was carried out by comparing the PPC of combined (MHC class I and II) predicted epitope ensemble among GDPAA (99.97%), RSKMA (99.90%) and experimentally known epitopes (EKE) of P. falciparum (97.72%) pertaining to world-wide human population. Conclusions The present study systematically screened 5 potential protective antigens from P. falciparum genome using bioinformatics tools. Interestingly, these GDPAA, RSKMA and EKE of P. falciparum epitope ensembles forecasted to contain highly promiscuous T cell epitopes, which are potentially effective for most of the world-wide human population with malaria endemic regions. Therefore, these epitope ensembles could be considered in near future for novel and significantly effective vaccine candidate against malaria. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12859-018-2482-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manisha Pritam
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, 226028, India
| | - Garima Singh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, 226028, India
| | - Suchit Swaroop
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, 226007, India
| | - Akhilesh Kumar Singh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, 226028, India
| | - Satarudra Prakash Singh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, 226028, India.
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Simam J, Rono M, Ngoi J, Nyonda M, Mok S, Marsh K, Bozdech Z, Mackinnon M. Gene copy number variation in natural populations of Plasmodium falciparum in Eastern Africa. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:372. [PMID: 29783949 PMCID: PMC5963192 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4689-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene copy number variants (CNVs), which consist of deletions and amplifications of single or sets of contiguous genes, contribute to the great diversity in the Plasmodium falciparum genome. In vitro studies in the laboratory have revealed their important role in parasite fitness phenotypes such as red cell invasion, transmissibility and cytoadherence. Studies of natural parasite populations indicate that CNVs are also common in the field and thus may facilitate adaptation of the parasite to its local environment. RESULTS In a survey of 183 fresh field isolates from three populations in Eastern Africa with different malaria transmission intensities, we identified 94 CNV loci using microarrays. All CNVs had low population frequencies (minor allele frequency < 5%) but each parasite isolate carried an average of 8 CNVs. Nine CNVs showed high levels of population differentiation (FST > 0.3) and nine exhibited significant clines in population frequency across a gradient in transmission intensity. The clearest example of this was a large deletion on chromosome 9 previously reported only in laboratory-adapted isolates. This deletion was present in 33% of isolates from a population with low and highly seasonal malaria transmission, and in < 9% of isolates from populations with higher transmission. Subsets of CNVs were strongly correlated in their population frequencies, implying co-selection. CONCLUSIONS These results support the hypothesis that CNVs are the target of selection in natural populations of P. falciparum. Their environment-specific patterns observed here imply an important role for them in conferring adaptability to the parasite thus enabling it to persist in its highly diverse ecological environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Rono
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Pwani University Bioscience Research Centre, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Joyce Ngoi
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Mary Nyonda
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sachel Mok
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Kevin Marsh
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Zbynek Bozdech
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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12
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Lumkul L, Sawaswong V, Simpalipan P, Kaewthamasorn M, Harnyuttanakorn P, Pattaradilokrat S. Unraveling Haplotype Diversity of the Apical Membrane Antigen-1 Gene in Plasmodium falciparum Populations in Thailand. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2018; 56:153-165. [PMID: 29742870 PMCID: PMC5976018 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2018.56.2.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Development of an effective vaccine is critically needed for the prevention of malaria. One of the key antigens for malaria vaccines is the apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the surface protein for erythrocyte invasion of the parasite. The gene encoding AMA-1 has been sequenced from populations of P. falciparum worldwide, but the haplotype diversity of the gene in P. falciparum populations in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), including Thailand, remains to be characterized. In the present study, the AMA-1 gene was PCR amplified and sequenced from the genomic DNA of 65 P. falciparum isolates from 5 endemic areas in Thailand. The nearly full-length 1,848 nucleotide sequence of AMA-1 was subjected to molecular analyses, including nucleotide sequence diversity, haplotype diversity and deduced amino acid sequence diversity and neutrality tests. Phylogenetic analysis and pairwise population differentiation (Fst indices) were performed to infer the population structure. The analyses identified 60 single nucleotide polymorphic loci, predominately located in domain I of AMA-1. A total of 31 unique AMA-1 haplotypes were identified, which included 11 novel ones. The phylogenetic tree of the AMA-1 haplotypes revealed multiple clades of AMA-1, each of which contained parasites of multiple geographical origins, consistent with the Fst indices indicating genetic homogeneity or gene flow among geographically distinct populations of P. falciparum in Thailand’s borders with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. In summary, the study revealed novel haplotypes and population structure needed for the further advancement of AMA-1-based malaria vaccines in the GMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalita Lumkul
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Vorthon Sawaswong
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Phumin Simpalipan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Morakot Kaewthamasorn
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Group, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Sittiporn Pattaradilokrat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.,Veterinary Parasitology Research Group, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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13
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Huang B, Tuo F, Liang Y, Wu W, Wu G, Huang S, Zhong Q, Su XZ, Zhang H, Li M, Bacar A, Abdallah KS, Mliva AMSA, Wang Q, Yang Z, Zheng S, Xu Q, Song J, Deng C. Temporal changes in genetic diversity of msp-1, msp-2, and msp-3 in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Grande Comore Island after introduction of ACT. Malar J 2018; 17:83. [PMID: 29458365 PMCID: PMC5819244 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2227-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria is still one of the serious public health problems in Grande Comore Island, although the number of annual cases has been greatly reduced in recent years. A better understanding of malaria parasite population diversity and transmission dynamics is critical for assessing the effectiveness of malaria control measures. The objective of this study is to investigate temporal changes in genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum populations and multiplicity of infection (MOI) in Grande Comore 10 years after introduction of ACT. Methods A total of 232 P. falciparum clinical isolates were collected from the Grande Comore Island during two sampling periods (118 for 2006‒2007 group, and 114 for 2013‒2016 group). Parasite isolates were characterized for genetic diversity and complexity of infection by genotyping polymorphic regions in merozoite surface protein gene 1 (msp-1), msp-2, and msp-3 using nested PCR and DNA sequencing. Results Three msp-1 alleles (K1, MAD20, and RO33), two msp-2 alleles (FC27 and 3D7), and two msp-3 alleles (K1 and 3D7) were detected in parasites of both sampling periods. The RO33 allele of msp-1 (84.8%), 3D7 allele of msp-2 (90.8%), and K1 allele of msp-3 (66.7%) were the predominant allelic types in isolates from 2006–2007 group. In contrast, the RO33 allele of msp-1 (63.4%), FC27 allele of msp-2 (91.1%), and 3D7 allele of msp-3 (53.5%) were the most prevalent among isolates from the 2013–2016 group. Compared with the 2006‒2007 group, polyclonal infection rates of msp-1 (from 76.7 to 29.1%, P < 0.01) and msp-2 (from 62.4 to 28.3%, P < 0.01) allelic types were significantly decreased in those from 2013‒2016 group. Similarly, the MOIs for both msp-1 and msp-2 were higher in P. falciparum isolates in the 2006–2007 group than those in 2013–2016 group (MOI = 3.11 vs 1.63 for msp-1; MOI = 2.75 vs 1.35 for msp-2). DNA sequencing analyses also revealed reduced numbers of distinct sequence variants in the three genes from 2006‒2007 to 2013‒2016: msp-1, from 32 to 23 (about 28% decline); msp-2 from 29 to 21 (about 28% decline), and msp-3 from 11 to 3 (about 72% decline). Conclusions The present data showed dramatic reduction in genetic diversity and MOI among Grande Comore P. falciparum populations over the course of the study, suggesting a trend of decreasing malaria transmission intensity and genetic diversity in Grande Comore Island. These data provide valuable information for surveillance of P. falciparum infection and for assessing the appropriateness of the current malarial control strategies in the endemic area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Huang
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.,Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Tuo
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Liang
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanting Wu
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangchao Wu
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiguang Huang
- School of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qirun Zhong
- Artepharm, Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, 510405, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Zhuan Su
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Hongying Zhang
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingqiang Li
- Artepharm, Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, 510405, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Affane Bacar
- National Malaria Control Programme, BP 500, Moroni, Comoros
| | | | | | - Qi Wang
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaoli Yang
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoqin Zheng
- Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin Xu
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Song
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. .,Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Changsheng Deng
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. .,Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510445, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Pattaradilokrat S, Sawaswong V, Simpalipan P, Kaewthamasorn M, Siripoon N, Harnyuttanakorn P. Genetic diversity of the merozoite surface protein-3 gene in Plasmodium falciparum populations in Thailand. Malar J 2016; 15:517. [PMID: 27769257 PMCID: PMC5073822 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1566-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An effective malaria vaccine is an urgently needed tool to fight against human malaria, the most deadly parasitic disease of humans. One promising candidate is the merozoite surface protein-3 (MSP-3) of Plasmodium falciparum. This antigenic protein, encoded by the merozoite surface protein (msp-3) gene, is polymorphic and classified according to size into the two allelic types of K1 and 3D7. A recent study revealed that both the K1 and 3D7 alleles co-circulated within P. falciparum populations in Thailand, but the extent of the sequence diversity and variation within each allelic type remains largely unknown. METHODS The msp-3 gene was sequenced from 59 P. falciparum samples collected from five endemic areas (Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, Ranong, Trat and Ubon Ratchathani) in Thailand and analysed for nucleotide sequence diversity, haplotype diversity and deduced amino acid sequence diversity. The gene was also subject to population genetic analysis (F st ) and neutrality tests (Tajima's D, Fu and Li D* and Fu and Li' F* tests) to determine any signature of selection. RESULTS The sequence analyses revealed eight unique DNA haplotypes and seven amino acid sequence variants, with a haplotype and nucleotide diversity of 0.828 and 0.049, respectively. Neutrality tests indicated that the polymorphism detected in the alanine heptad repeat region of MSP-3 was maintained by positive diversifying selection, suggesting its role as a potential target of protective immune responses and supporting its role as a vaccine candidate. Comparison of MSP-3 variants among parasite populations in Thailand, India and Nigeria also inferred a close genetic relationship between P. falciparum populations in Asia. CONCLUSION This study revealed the extent of the msp-3 gene diversity in P. falciparum in Thailand, providing the fundamental basis for the better design of future blood stage malaria vaccines against P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vorthon Sawaswong
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand
| | - Phumin Simpalipan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand
| | - Morakot Kaewthamasorn
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand
| | - Napaporn Siripoon
- College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand
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15
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Sawaswong V, Simpalipan P, Siripoon N, Harnyuttanakorn P, Pattaradilokrat S. Allelic Diversity and Geographical Distribution of the Gene Encoding Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Surface Protein-3 in Thailand. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2015; 53:177-87. [PMID: 25925176 PMCID: PMC4416369 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.2.177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Merozoite surface proteins (MSPs) of malaria parasites play critical roles during the erythrocyte invasion and so are potential candidates for malaria vaccine development. However, because MSPs are often under strong immune selection, they can exhibit extensive genetic diversity. The gene encoding the merozoite surface protein-3 (MSP-3) of Plasmodium falciparum displays 2 allelic types, K1 and 3D7. In Thailand, the allelic frequency of the P. falciparummsp-3 gene was evaluated in a single P. falciparum population in Tak at the Thailand and Myanmar border. However, no study has yet looked at the extent of genetic diversity of the msp-3 gene in P. falciparum populations in other localities. Here, we genotyped the msp-3 alleles of 63 P. falciparum samples collected from 5 geographical populations along the borders of Thailand with 3 neighboring countries (Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia). Our study indicated that the K1 and 3D7 alleles coexisted, but at different proportions in different Thai P. falciparum populations. K1 was more prevalent in populations at the Thailand-Myanmar and Thailand-Cambodia borders, whilst 3D7 was more prevalent at the Thailand-Laos border. Global analysis of the msp-3 allele frequencies revealed that proportions of K1 and 3D7 alleles of msp-3 also varied in different continents, suggesting the divergence of malaria parasite populations. In conclusion, the variation in the msp-3 allelic patterns of P. falciparum in Thailand provides fundamental knowledge for inferring the P. falciparum population structure and for the best design of msp-3 based malaria vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vorthon Sawaswong
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Phumin Simpalipan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Napaporn Siripoon
- College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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Ebrahimzadeh A, Mohammadi S, Jamshidi A. Allelic Forms of Merozoite Surface Protein-3 in Plasmodium falciparum Isolates From Southeast of Iran. Jundishapur J Microbiol 2014; 7:e9829. [PMID: 25147718 PMCID: PMC4138634 DOI: 10.5812/jjm.9829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Revised: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/10/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic diversity has provided Plasmodium falciparum with the potential capacity of avoiding the immune response, and possibly supported the natural selection of drug or vaccine-resistant parasites. Merozoite surface protein-3 (MSP-3) has been used to develop vaccines and investigate the genetic diversity regarding P. falciparum malaria in Iran. OBJECTIVES The main goal of this study was to analyze the polymorphic antigen MSP-3 genes across southeast of Iran among four different districts, to identify the differences in the allele frequency and genetic diversity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nested polymerase chain reaction amplification was used to determine polymorphisms of N-terminal region of the MSP-3 gene. A total of 85 microscopically positive P. falciparum infected individuals from southeast of Iran were included in this study. RESULTS Of the 85 confirmed P. falciparum samples obtained from four different districts, 72 were successfully scored for MSP-3.The MSP-3 allele classes (K1 and 3D7 types) showed comparable prevalence in all districts. Overall frequencies of K1 and 3D7 allele classes were 94.5 % for both. CONCLUSIONS Since no study has yet looked at the extent of P. falciparum MSP-3 in this geographic region, these data can be helpful to support development of a vaccine based on MSP-3 against malaria. There should be a comparative analysis in different seasonal peaks to indicate the allelic polymorphism of MSP-3 over a period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adel Ebrahimzadeh
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Adel Ebrahimzadeh, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR Iran. Tel: +98-9155491303, Fax: +98-5413229792, E-mail:
| | - Saeed Mohammadi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, IR Iran
| | - Ali Jamshidi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR Iran
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Larrañaga N, Mejía RE, Hormaza JI, Montoya A, Soto A, Fontecha GA. Genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum populations across the Honduras-Nicaragua border. Malar J 2013; 12:354. [PMID: 24093629 PMCID: PMC3851272 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Caribbean coast of Central America remains an area of malaria transmission caused by Plasmodium falciparum despite the fact that morbidity has been reduced in recent years. Parasite populations in that region show interesting characteristics such as chloroquine susceptibility and low mortality rates. Genetic structure and diversity of P. falciparum populations in the Honduras-Nicaragua border were analysed in this study. Methods Seven neutral microsatellite loci were analysed in 110 P. falciparum isolates from endemic areas of Honduras (n = 77) and Nicaragua (n = 33), mostly from the border region called the Moskitia. Several analyses concerning the genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, population structure, molecular variance, and haplotype clustering were conducted. Results There was a low level of genetic diversity in P. falciparum populations from Honduras and Nicaragua. Expected heterozigosity (He) results were similarly low for both populations. A moderate differentiation was revealed by the FST index between both populations, and two putative clusters were defined through a structure analysis. The main cluster grouped most of samples from Honduras and Nicaragua, while the second cluster was smaller and included all the samples from the Siuna community in Nicaragua. This result could partially explain the stronger linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the parasite population from that country. These findings are congruent with the decreasing rates of malaria endemicity in Central America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerea Larrañaga
- Instituto de Investigacion en Microbiologia, Escuela de Microbiologia, UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
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18
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Nasr A, Hamid O, Al-Ghamdi A, Allam G. Anti-malarial IgG subclasses pattern and FcγRIIa (CD32) polymorphism among pregnancy-associated malaria in semi-immune Saudi women. Malar J 2013; 12:110. [PMID: 23517907 PMCID: PMC3608938 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2012] [Accepted: 03/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pregnant women remain are at an increased risk of malaria with primigravidae being at the highest risk. Genetic polymorphism of the Fc receptor IIa for immunologlobulin (Ig) G (FcγRIIa) determines IgG subclass binding. Protection against pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is associated with the production of IgG specific for apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1). The present study was undertaken to examine the relationship between specific IgG/IgG subclasses and malaria infection. The second aim of the study is to examine the association between FcγRIIa R/H131 polymorphism in correlation with specific anti-malarial IgG antibodies of AMA-1 distribution and asymptomatic malaria infection among Saudi women living in the southern part of Saudi Arabia. Methods One hundred and twenty pregnant women living in an area of meso-endemic Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection were consecutively enrolled onto the study. These pregnant women were asymptomatic and attending routine antenatal clinics. The levels of plasma antibodies (IgG and subclasses AMA-1) were measured using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Genotyping of FcγRIIa-R/H131 dimorphism was performed using gene-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with allele-specific restriction enzyme digestion (BstU1) of the PCR product. Results A total of sixty-two (52%) pregnant women was diagnosed with asymptomatic malarial infection (ASM) compared with 58 (48%) malaria free controls (MFC). In the ASM group, there were high levels of anti-malarial IgG1 and IgG3, when compared to MFC (P value <0.001, respectively). The FcγRIIa-R/R131 genotype and R131 were found to be statistically significantly more prevalent in the ASM group when compared to the MFC group [55% for ASM versus 12% for MFC, odds ratio (OR) 5.62, 95% confidence interval (CI)= (2.03- 15.58), P value= 0.001]. However, the H/H131 genotype showed statistically significant association with MFC [14% for ASM versus 50% for MFC, OR(0.36), 95% CI= (0.14- 0.95), P value= 0.03]. Conclusions The study revealed that the ASM patients had higher anti-malarial IgG and IgG subclasses antibody levels when compared to the MFC. The FcγRIIa-R/R131 genotype and R131 allele were found to be statistically prevalent in the ASM when compared to the MFC group. The individuals carrying H/H131 were consistently associated with higher levels of anti-malarial IgG subclasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amre Nasr
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Taif University, PO Box 888, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
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Therapeutic efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine combination in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria among children under five years of age in three ecological zones in Ghana. Malar J 2012; 11:388. [PMID: 23173737 PMCID: PMC3519607 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Accepted: 11/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In 2008, artemether - lumefantrine (AL) and dihydroartemisinin - piperaquine (DHAP) were added to artesunate - amodiaquine (AS-AQ) as first-line drugs for uncomplicated malaria in Ghana. The introduction of new drugs calls for continuous monitoring of these drugs to provide timely information on trends of their efficacy and safety to enhance timely evidence-based decision making by the National Malaria Control Programme. In this regard, the therapeutic efficacy of AL was monitored from September 2010 to April 2011 in four sentinel sites representing the three main ecological zones of the country. Methods The study was a one-arm prospective evaluation of clinical and parasitological responses to directly observed treatment for uncomplicated malaria among children aged 6 months to 59 months using the 2009 WHO protocol for surveillance of anti-malarial drug efficacy. Children recruited into the study received weight-based 20/120 mg AL at 0, 8, 24, 36, 48, and 60 hrs. Parasitaemia levels were assessed on days 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and at any time a study child was brought to the clinic with fever. Results A total of 175 children were enrolled into the study: 56 in the savanna zone, 78 in the forest zone and 41 in the coastal zone. Per-protocol analysis showed that the overall PCR-corrected cure rates on day 14 and day 28 were 96.5% (95% CI: 92.1, 98.6) and 95.4% (95% CI: 90.3, 98.0), respectively, with statistically significant differences between the ecological zones. The 90.4% day-28 cure rate observed in the savannah zone (95% CI: 78.2, 96.4) was significantly the lowest compared with 100% (95% CI: 93.2, 99.9) in the forest zone and 93.8% (95% CI: 77.8, 98.9) in the coastal zone (P = 0.017). Fever and parasite clearance were slower among children enrolled in the savannah zone. Gametocytaemia after day-3 post-treatment was rare in all the zones. Conclusions The study has shown that AL remains efficacious in Ghana with significant ecologic zonal differences. The savannah zone may be a potential zone for any emergence of resistant alleles as a result of the slower parasite clearance observed in the zone.
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