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Miyata T, Minamihata K, Kurihara K, Kamizuru Y, Gotanda M, Obayashi M, Kitagawa T, Sato K, Kimura M, Oyama K, Ikeda Y, Tamaki Y, Lee JM, Sakao K, Hamanaka D, Kusakabe T, Tachibana M, Ibrahim HR. Highly efficient protein expression of Plasmodium vivax surface antigen, Pvs25, by silkworm and its biochemical analysis. Protein Expr Purif 2022;:106096. [PMID: 35460871 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2022.106096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax ookinete surface protein, Pvs25, is a candidate for a transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) for malaria. Pvs25 has four EGF-like domains containing 22 cysteine residues forming 11 intramolecular disulfide bonds, a structural feature that makes its recombinant protein expression difficult. In this study, we report the high expression of recombinant Pvs25 as a soluble form in silkworm, Bombyx mori. The Pvs25 protein was purified from hemolymphs of larvae and pupae by affinity chromatography. In the Pvs25 expressed by silkworm, no isoforms with inappropriate disulfide bonds were found, requiring no further purification step, which is necessary in the case of Pichia pastoris-based expression systems. The Pvs25 from silkworm was confirmed to be molecularly uniform by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography. To examine the immunogenicity, the Pvs25 from B. mori was administered to BALB/c mice subcutaneously with oil adjuvant. The Pvs25 produced by silkworm induced potent and robust immune responses, and the induced antisera correctly recognized P. vivax ookinetes in vitro, demonstrating the potency of Pvs25 from silkworm as a candidate for a malaria TBV. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to construct a system for mass-producing malaria TBV antigens using silkworm.
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Tachibana M, Takashima E, Morita M, Sattabongkot J, Ishino T, Culleton R, Torii M, Tsuboi T. Plasmodium vivax transmission-blocking vaccines: Progress, challenges and innovation. Parasitol Int 2021; 87:102525. [PMID: 34896614 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Existing control measures have significantly reduced malaria morbidity and mortality in the last two decades, although these reductions are now stalling. Significant efforts have been undertaken to develop malaria vaccines. Recently, extensive progress in malaria vaccine development has been made for Plasmodium falciparum. To date, only the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine has been tested in Phase 3 clinical trials and is now under implementation, despite modest efficacy. Therefore, the development of a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) will be essential for malaria elimination. Only a limited number of TBVs have reached pre-clinical or clinical development with several major challenges impeding their development, including low immunogenicity in humans. TBV development efforts against P. vivax, the second major cause of malaria morbidity, lag far behind those for P. falciparum. In this review we summarize the latest progress, challenges and innovations in P. vivax TBV research and discuss how to accelerate its development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi Tachibana
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
| | - Eizo Takashima
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Masayuki Morita
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
| | - Tomoko Ishino
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
| | - Richard Culleton
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
| | - Motomi Torii
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan; Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
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Kou X, Zheng W, Du F, Liu F, Wang M, Fan Q, Cui L, Luo E, Cao Y. Characterization of a Plasmodium berghei sexual stage antigen PbPH as a new candidate for malaria transmission-blocking vaccine. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:190. [PMID: 27038925 PMCID: PMC4818878 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1459-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) are a promising strategy for malaria control and elimination. However, candidate TBV antigens are currently limited, highlighting the urgency of identifying new antigens for TBV development. Methods Using a combination of bioinformatic analysis and functional studies in the rodent malaria model Plasmodium berghei, we identified a conserved Plasmodium protein PbPH (PBANKA_041720) containing a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. The expression of PbPH was detected by Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The function of PbPH was tested by genetic knockout. The TB activity was confirmed by in vitro ookinete conversion assay and mosquito feeding. Results PbPH was detected in Western blot as highly expressed in sexual stages (gametocytes and ookinetes). IFA revealed localizations of PbPH on the surface of gametes, zygotes, and ookinetes. Deletion of the pbph gene did not affect asexual growth, but significantly reduced the formation of gametocytes, ookinetes, and oocysts, indicating that PbPH protein is required for parasite sexual development. Recombinant PbPH expressed and purified from bacteria elicited strong antibody responses in mice and the antibodies significantly inhibited exflagellation of male gametocytes and formation of ookinetes in a concentration-dependent manner. Mosquito feeding experiments confirmed that mosquitoes fed on mice immunized with PbPH had 13 % reduction in the prevalence of infection and almost 48 % reduction in oocyst density. Conclusions Pbph is a highly conserved Plasmodium gene and is required for parasite sexual development. PbPH protein is expressed on the surface of gametes and ookinetes. Immunization of mice against the recombinant PbPH protein induced strong antibody responses that effectively reduced the formation of male gametes and ookinetes in vitro and blocked transmission of the parasites to mosquitoes. These results highlight PbPH as a potential TBV candidate that is worth future investigations in human malaria parasites. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1459-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Kou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, China.,College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, 121001, China
| | - Wenqi Zheng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, China
| | - Feng Du
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, China
| | - Meilian Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, China
| | - Qi Fan
- Dalian Institute of Biotechnology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Enjie Luo
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, China.
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, China.
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Abstract
The continued global burden of malaria can in part be attributed to a complex lifecycle, with both human hosts and mosquito vectors serving as transmission reservoirs. In preclinical models of vaccine-induced immunity, antibodies to parasite sexual-stage antigens, ingested in the mosquito blood meal, can inhibit parasite survival in the insect midgut as judged by ex vivo functional studies such as the membrane feeding assay. In an era of renewed political momentum for malaria elimination and eradication campaigns, such observations have fueled support for the development and implementation of so-called transmission-blocking vaccines. While leading candidates are being evaluated using a variety of promising vaccine platforms, the field is also beginning to capitalize on global '-omics' data for the rational genome-based selection and unbiased characterization of parasite and mosquito proteins to expand the candidate list. This review covers the progress and prospects of these recent developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Nikolaeva
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
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Miyata T, Oshiro S, Harakuni T, Taira T, Matsuzaki G, Arakawa T. Physicochemically stable cholera toxin B subunit pentamer created by peripheral molecular constraints imposed by de novo-introduced intersubunit disulfide crosslinks. Vaccine 2012; 30:4225-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.04.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2012] [Revised: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 04/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Goodman AL, Blagborough AM, Biswas S, Wu Y, Hill AV, Sinden RE, Draper SJ. A viral vectored prime-boost immunization regime targeting the malaria Pfs25 antigen induces transmission-blocking activity. PLoS One 2011; 6:e29428. [PMID: 22216279 PMCID: PMC3247263 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2011] [Accepted: 11/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ookinete surface protein Pfs25 is a macrogamete-to-ookinete/ookinete stage antigen of Plasmodium falciparum, capable of exerting high-level anti-malarial transmission-blocking activity following immunization with recombinant protein-in-adjuvant formulations. Here, this antigen was expressed in recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus 63 (ChAd63), human adenovirus serotype 5 (AdHu5) and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) viral vectored vaccines. Two immunizations were administered to mice in a heterologous prime-boost regime. Immunization of mice with AdHu5 Pfs25 at week 0 and MVA Pfs25 at week 10 (Ad-MVA Pfs25) resulted in high anti-Pfs25 IgG titers, consisting of predominantly isotypes IgG1 and IgG2a. A single priming immunization with ChAd63 Pfs25 was as effective as AdHu5 Pfs25 with respect to ELISA titers at 8 weeks post-immunization. Sera from Ad-MVA Pfs25 immunized mice inhibited the transmission of P. falciparum to the mosquito both ex vivo and in vivo. In a standard membrane-feeding assay using NF54 strain P. falciparum, oocyst intensity in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes was significantly reduced in an IgG concentration-dependent manner when compared to control feeds (96% reduction of intensity, 78% reduction in prevalence at a 1 in 5 dilution of sera). In addition, an in vivo transmission-blocking effect was also demonstrated by direct feeding of immunized mice infected with Pfs25DR3, a chimeric P. berghei line expressing Pfs25 in place of endogenous Pbs25. In this assay the density of Pfs25DR3 oocysts was significantly reduced when mosquitoes were fed on vaccinated as compared to control mice (67% reduction of intensity, 28% reduction in prevalence) and specific IgG titer correlated with efficacy. These data confirm the utility of the adenovirus-MVA vaccine platform for the induction of antibodies with transmission-blocking activity, and support the continued development of this alternative approach to transmission-blocking malaria subunit vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Goodman
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Miyata T, Harakuni T, Sugawa H, Sattabongkot J, Kato A, Tachibana M, Torii M, Tsuboi T, Arakawa T. Adenovirus-vectored Plasmodium vivax ookinete surface protein, Pvs25, as a potential transmission-blocking vaccine. Vaccine 2011; 29:2720-6. [PMID: 21315699 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.01.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2010] [Revised: 12/29/2010] [Accepted: 01/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Adjuvants or delivery vehicles are essential components to expedite malaria vaccine development. In this study, replication-defective human adenovirus serotype 5 (rAd) was genetically engineered to express the Plasmodium vivax ookinete surface protein (OSP), Pvs25 (AdPvs25). BALB/c mice immunized with the AdPvs25 through various routes including intramuscular, subcutaneous and intranasal routes were analyzed for induction of antigen-specific transmission-blocking immunity. Parenteral but not mucosal immunization induced high serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses specific to P. vivax ookinetes isolated from P. vivax volunteer patients from Thailand. The membrane feeding assay revealed that antisera conferred a transmission blockade of up to 99% reduction in the average oocyst numbers per mosquito, while immunization with a rAd expressing Pfs25 from Plasmodium falciparum, a homolog of Pvs25, conferred only a background level of blockade, suggesting that a species-specific transmission-blocking immunity was induced. Vaccine efficacy of AdPvs25 was slightly higher than to a recombinant Pvs25 protein mixed with aluminum hydroxide, but less efficacious than the protein emulsified with incomplete Freund's adjuvant. This study, the first preclinical evaluation of adenovirus-vectored malaria OSPs, implicates a potential inclusion of malaria transmission-blocking vaccine antigens in viral vector systems.
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Mlambo G, Kumar N, Yoshida S. Functional immunogenicity of baculovirus expressing Pfs25, a human malaria transmission-blocking vaccine candidate antigen. Vaccine 2010; 28:7025-9. [PMID: 20709008 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2010] [Revised: 07/19/2010] [Accepted: 08/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We have focused on development of a novel vaccine vector based on "Baculophage", a baculovirus display system for expression of proteins on the surface of the viral envelope, as a non-pathogenic and non-vertebrate insect virus. In the present study, recombinant baculovirus (AcNPV-Pfs25surf) were generated, which displayed Pfs25, a potent Plasmodium falciparum transmission-blocking vaccine candidate. Both intranasal and intramuscular immunizations of mice with AcNPV-Pfs25surf induced high levels of Pfs25-specific antibodies, which strongly reacted with ookinetes of transgenic Plasmodium berghei expressing Pfs25 (TrPfs25Pb). Importantly, sera obtained from immunized rabbits exhibited a significant transmission-blocking effect (>90% reduction in infection intensity) in standard membrane feeding assay using P. falciparum gametocytes. Additionally, active immunization (both intranasal and intramuscular routes) of mice followed by challenge using TrPfs25Pb demonstrated an effective transmission-blocking response, with an 83% (intranasal) and ∼95% (intramuscular) reduction in oocyst intensity, respectively. Thus, the baculovirus-based vaccines offer a promising new alternative to current human vaccine delivery platforms for the development of malaria multi-stage vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godfree Mlambo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Blagborough AM, Yoshida S, Sattabongkot J, Tsuboi T, Sinden RE. Intranasal and intramuscular immunization with Baculovirus Dual Expression System-based Pvs25 vaccine substantially blocks Plasmodium vivax transmission. Vaccine 2010; 28:6014-20. [PMID: 20637303 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.06.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2010] [Revised: 06/28/2010] [Accepted: 06/29/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We have recently developed a new experimental vaccine vector system based on Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) termed the "Baculovirus Dual Expression System", which drives expression of vaccine candidate antigens by a dual promoter that consists of tandemly arranged baculovirus-derived polyhedrin and mammalian-derived CMV promoters. The present study used this system to generate a Plasmodium vivax transmission-blocking immunogen (AcNPV-Dual-Pvs25). AcNPV-Dual-Pvs25 not only displayed Pvs25 on the AcNPV envelope, exhibiting aspects of its native three-dimensional structure, but also expressed appropriately immunogenic protein upon transduction of mammalian cells. Both intranasal and intramuscular immunization of mice with AcNPV-Dual-Pvs25 induced high Pvs25-specific antibody titres, notably of IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b isotypes, indicating a mixed Th1/Th2 response. Importantly, sera obtained from subcutaneously immunized rabbits exhibited a significant transmission-blocking effect (96% reduction in infection intensity, 24% reduction in prevalence) when challenged with human blood infected with P. vivax gametocytes using the standard membrane feeding assay. Additionally, active immunization (both intranasal and intramuscular routes) of mice followed by challenge using a transgenic P. berghei line expressing Pvs25 in place of native Pbs25 and Pbs28 (clone Pvs25DR3) demonstrates a strong transmission-blocking response, with a 92.1% (intranasal) and 83.8% (intramuscular) reduction in oocyst intensity. Corresponding reductions in prevalence of infection were observed (88.4% and 75.5% respectively). This study offers a novel tool for the development of malarial transmission-blocking vaccines against the sexual stages of the parasite, using the Baculovirus Dual Expression System that functions as both a subunit, and DNA based vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Blagborough
- Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Miyata T, Harakuni T, Tsuboi T, Sattabongkot J, Kohama H, Tachibana M, Matsuzaki G, Torii M, Arakawa T. Plasmodium vivax ookinete surface protein Pvs25 linked to cholera toxin B subunit induces potent transmission-blocking immunity by intranasal as well as subcutaneous immunization. Infect Immun 2010; 78:3773-82. [PMID: 20584978 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00306-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The nontoxic cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) was evaluated as a potential delivery molecule for the Plasmodium vivax ookinete surface protein, Pvs25. Recombinant Pvs25 was expressed as a secreted protein in the yeast Pichia pastoris, as a mixture of isoforms including multimers and the A and B monomers. The A isoform with the presumed native protein fold was the most abundant, accounting for more than 40% of all expressed protein. The molecularly uniform A isoform was chemically conjugated to CTB via its primary amines, and the fusion protein, retaining GM1-ganglioside affinity, was administered to BALB/c mice by the subcutaneous (s.c.) or intranasal (i.n.) route. Immunization of mice with conjugated Pvs25 without supplemental adjuvant induced antisera that specifically recognized P. vivax ookinetes in vitro. Furthermore, the antisera, when mixed with parasitized blood isolated from P. vivax patients from Thailand, was found to reduce parasite transmission to mosquitoes, conferring a 93 to 98% (s.c.) or a 73 to 88% (i.n.) decrease in oocyst number. Unconjugated Pvs25 alone conferred only a 23 to 60% (s.c.) or a 0 to 6% (i.n.) decrease in oocyst number. Coadministration of extraneous adjuvants, however, further enhanced the vaccine efficacy up to complete blockade. Taken together, we conclude that a weakly immunogenic Pvs25 by itself, when linked to CTB, transforms into a potent transmission-blocking antigen in both i.n. and s.c. routes. In addition, the present study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first demonstration of the immune potentiating function of CTB for a vaccine antigen delivered by the s.c. route.
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