Hierarchical, domain type-specific acquisition of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 in Tanzanian children.

ABSTRACT: Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) is a variant antigen expressed on the surface of malaria-infected erythrocytes. PfEMP1 attaches to the vascular lining and allows infected erythrocytes to avoid filtration through the spleen. Each parasite genome encodes about 60 different PfEMP1 variants, each PfEMP1 comprises several domains in its extracellular region, and the PfEMP1 repertoire in different parasites contains domain types that are serologically cross-reactive. In this longitudinal study, we followed 672 children living in an area of high malaria transmission during the first years of life and compared the acquisitions of antibodies to 32 Duffy-binding ligand-like (DBL) domains representing different types. For each child, we determined whether an antibody res

SUBMITTER: Cham GK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2976311 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature