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Bansal GP, Araujo MDS, Cao Y, Shaffer E, Araujo JE, Medeiros JF, Hayashi C, Vinetz J, Kumar N. Transmission-reducing and -enhancing monoclonal antibodies against Plasmodium vivax gamete surface protein Pvs48/45. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0037423. [PMID: 38289124 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00374-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Gamete surface protein P48/45 has been shown to be important for male gamete fertility and a strong candidate for the development of a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV). However, TBV development for Plasmodium vivax homolog Pvs48/45 has been slow because of a number of challenges: availability of conformationally suitable recombinant protein; the lack of an in vivo challenge model; and the inability to produce P. vivax gametocytes in culture to test transmission-blocking activity of antibodies. To support ongoing efforts to develop Pvs48/45 as a potential vaccine candidate, we initiated efforts to develop much needed reagents to move the field forward. We generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against Pvs48/45 and characterized putative functional domains in Pvs48/45 using recombinant fragments corresponding to domains D1-D3 and their biological functionality through ex vivo direct membrane feeding assays (DMFAs) using P. vivax parasites from patients in a field setting in Brazil. While some mAbs partially blocked oocyst development in the DMFA, one mAb caused a significant enhancement of the infectivity of gametocytes in the mosquitoes. Individual mAbs exhibiting blocking and enhancing activities recognized non-overlapping epitopes in Pvs48/45. Further characterization of precise epitopes recognized by transmission-reducing and -enhancing antibodies will be crucial to design an effective immunogen with optimum transmission-reducing potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetha P Bansal
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Maisa da Silva Araujo
- Plataforma de Produção e Infecção de Vetores da Malária, Laboratório de Entomologia - Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Yi Cao
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Department of Global Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Emily Shaffer
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Jessica Evangelista Araujo
- Plataforma de Produção e Infecção de Vetores da Malária, Laboratório de Entomologia - Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Jansen Fernandes Medeiros
- Plataforma de Produção e Infecção de Vetores da Malária, Laboratório de Entomologia - Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Clifford Hayashi
- Department of Global Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Joseph Vinetz
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Nirbhay Kumar
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Department of Global Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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Arévalo-Herrera M, Miura K, Solano E, Ramírez JS, Long CA, Corradin G, Herrera S. Immunogenicity of full-length P. vivax r Pvs48/45 protein formulations in BALB/c mice. Vaccine 2022; 40:133-140. [PMID: 34802791 PMCID: PMC9109962 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pvs48/45 is a Plasmodium vivax gametocyte surface protein involved in the parasite fertilization process. Previous studies showed that Pvs48/45 proteins expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were highly immunoreactive with sera from malaria-endemic areas and highly immunogenic in animal models. Here the immunogenicity in mice of three different vaccine formulations was compared. METHODS Recombinant (r) Pvs48/45 proteins were expressed in E. coli and CHO, purified, formulated in Alhydrogel, GLA-SE and Montanide ISA-51 adjuvants and used to immunize BALB/c mice. Animals were immunized on days 0, 20 and 40, and serum samples were collected for serological analyses of specific antibody responses using ELISA and immunofluorescence (IFAT). Additionally, ex-vivo transmission-reducing activity (TRA) of sera on P. vivax gametocyte-infected human blood fed to Anopheles albimanus in direct membrane feeding assays (DMFA) was evaluated. RESULTS Most immunized animals seroconverted after the first immunization, and some developed antibody peaks of 106 with all adjuvants. However, the three adjuvant formulations induced different antibody responses and TRA efficacy. While GLA-SE formulations of both proteins induced similar antibody profiles, Montanide ISA-51 formulations resulted in higher and longer-lasting antibody titers with CHO-rPvs48/45 than with the E. coli formulation. Although the CHO protein formulated in Alhydrogel generated a high initial antibody peak, antibody responses to both proteins rapidly waned. Likewise, anti-Pvs48/45 antibodies displayed differential recognition of the parasite proteins in IFAT and ex vivo blockade of parasite transmission to mosquitoes. The CHO-rPvs48/45 formulated in Montanide ISA-51 induced the most effective ex vivo parasite blockage. CONCLUSIONS Three out of six vaccine formulations elicited antibodies with ex vivo TRA. The CHO-rPvs48/45 Montanide ISA-51 formulation induced the most stable antibody response, recognizing the native protein and the most robust ex vivo TRA. These results encourage further testing of the vaccine potential of this protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Arévalo-Herrera
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia.,Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia.,Corresponding author: Myriam Arevalo-Herrera, PhD, , Phone: (+57 2) 521 6232, Fax: (+57 2) 521 6228, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Carrera 37 2 Bis # 5E-08. Cali, Colombia
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | | | | | - Carole A. Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | | | - Sócrates Herrera
- Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia.,Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia
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Arévalo-Herrera M, Miura K, Cespedes N, Echeverry C, Solano E, Castellanos A, Ramirez JS, Miranda A, Kajava AV, Long C, Corradin G, Herrera S. Immunoreactivity of Sera From Low to Moderate Malaria-Endemic Areas Against Plasmodium vivax r Pvs48/45 Proteins Produced in Escherichia coli and Chinese Hamster Ovary Systems. Front Immunol 2021; 12:634738. [PMID: 34248932 PMCID: PMC8264144 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.634738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
P48/45 is a conserved gametocyte antigen involved in Plasmodium parasite fertilization. A recombinant Plasmodium vivax P48/45 (Pvs48/45) protein expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) was highly antigenic and immunogenic in experimental animals and elicited specific transmission-blocking (TB) antibodies in a previous pilot study. Here, a similar Pvs48/45 gene was expressed in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells and we compared its immunoreactivity with the E. coli product. Specific antibody titers were determined using plasma from Colombian individuals (n=227) living in endemic areas where both P. vivax and P. falciparum are prevalent and from Guatemala (n=54) where P. vivax is highly prevalent. In Colombia, plasma seroprevalence to CHO-rPvs48/45 protein was 46.3%, while for E. coli-rPvs48/45 protein was 36.1% (p<0.001). In Guatemala, the sero prevalence was 24.1% and 14.8% (p<0.001), respectively. Reactivity index (RI) against both proteins showed an age-dependent increase. IgG2 was the predominant subclass and the antibody avidity index evaluated by ELISA ranged between 4-6 mol/L. Ex vivo P. vivax mosquito direct membrane feeding assays (DMFA) performed in presence of study plasmas, displayed significant parasite transmission-blocking (TB), however, there was no direct correlation between antibody titers and oocysts transmission reduction activity (%TRA). Nevertheless, DMFA with CHO rPvs48/45 affinity purified IgG showed a dose response; 90.2% TRA at 100 μg/mL and 71.8% inhibition at 10 μg/mL. In conclusion, the CHO-rPvs48/45 protein was more immunoreactive in most of the malaria endemic places studied, and CHO-rPvs48/45 specific IgG showed functional activity, supporting further testing of the protein vaccine potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Arévalo-Herrera
- Immunology Department, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia
- Immunology Department, Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Nora Cespedes
- Immunology Department, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia
| | - Carlos Echeverry
- Immunology Department, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia
| | - Eduardo Solano
- Immunology Department, Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia
| | - Angélica Castellanos
- Immunology Department, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - Adolfo Miranda
- Parasitology Department, Centro Nacional de Epidemiología (CNE), Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Andrey V. Kajava
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Carole Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | | | - Sócrates Herrera
- Immunology Department, Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia
- Immunology Department, Caucaseco Scientific Research Center, Cali, Colombia
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Asali S, Raz A, Turki H, Mafakher L, Razmjou E, Solaymani-Mohammadi S. Restricted genetic heterogeneity of the Plasmodium vivax transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) candidate Pvs48/45 in a low transmission setting: Implications for the Plasmodium vivax malaria vaccine development. Infect Genet Evol 2021; 89:104710. [PMID: 33421653 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread malaria species parasitizing humans outside Africa, with approximately 100 million cases reported per year. Most human cases of P. vivax are asymptomatic with low parasitemia, making active case detection-based elimination programme challenging and less effective. Despite the widespread distribution of P. vivax, no effective vaccines are currently available. Transmission blocking vaccines have recently emerged as potential vaccine candidates to reduce transmission rates to below the essential levels required for the maintenance of the parasite life cycle. Here, we demonstrated that P. vivax was the predominant species found in a malaria-endemic area, although P. vivax/P. falciparum co-infections were also common. Through genomic sequence analysis and neighbor-joining algorithms, we demonstrated limited genetic heterogeneity in the P. vivax transmission-blocking vaccine candidate Pvs48/45 among clinical isolates of P. vivax. Restricted genetic polymorphism occurred at both nucleotide and amino acid levels. The most frequent mutation was A → G at nucleotide position 77 (46.7%), whereas the least frequent was C → T at nucleotide position 1230 (3.3%). The occurrence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) distribution at 6/8 positions (75%) led to changes in amino acid sequences in the Pvs48/45 loci, whereas 2/8 (25%) of SNPs resulted in no amino acid sequence variations. Consistently, the nucleotide diversity in the Pvs48/45 locus among the P. vivax population studied was extremely low (π = 0.000525). Changes in amino acid sequences in the Pvs48/45 protein did not result in substantial conformational modifications in the tertiary structures of these proteins. Unveiling the population genetic structure and genetic heterogeneity of vaccine target antigens are necessary for rational design of transmission-blocking antibody vaccines and to monitor the vaccine efficacy in clinical trials in endemic areas for malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheila Asali
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbasali Raz
- Malaria and Vector Research Group, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Habibollah Turki
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Ladan Mafakher
- Medicinal Plant Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Elham Razmjou
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Microbial Biotechnology Research Center (MBiRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Shahram Solaymani-Mohammadi
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States.
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