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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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