Proteolytic Cleavage of the Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein Is a Target of Protective Antibodies.

ABSTRACT: Studies in animals and human volunteers demonstrate that antibodies against the repeat-region of the Plasmodium circumsporozoite protein (CSP) abrogate sporozoite infection. However, the realization that the N- and C- terminal regions flanking the repeats play essential roles in parasite infectivity raised the possibility that they could be targeted by protective antibodies. We characterized a monoclonal antibody (mAb5D5) specific for the N-terminus of the P. falciparum CSP, which inhibits the proteolytic cleavage of the CSP, a key requirement for parasite infection of hepatocytes. Adoptive transfer of mAb5D5 strongly inhibits the in vivo infection of sporozoites expressing the N-terminus of P. falciparum CSP, and this protection is greatly enhanced when combined with antirepeat antibodies

SUBMITTER: Espinosa DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4559189 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature