Patterns of protective associations differ for antibodies to P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes and merozoites in immunity against malaria in children.

ABSTRACT: Acquired antibodies play an important role in immunity to P. falciparum malaria and are typically directed towards surface antigens expressed by merozoites and infected erythrocytes (IEs). The importance of specific IE surface antigens as immune targets remains unclear. We evaluated antibodies and protective associations in two cohorts of children in Papua New Guinea. We used genetically-modified P. falciparum to evaluate the importance of PfEMP1 and a P. falciparum isolate with a virulent phenotype. Our findings suggested that PfEMP1 was the dominant target of antibodies to the IE surface, including functional antibodies that promoted opsonic phagocytosis by monocytes. Antibodies were associated with increasing age and concurrent parasitemia, and were higher among children exposed to a hi

SUBMITTER: Chan JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5893221 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature