Immunization with merozoite surface protein 2 fused to a Plasmodium-specific carrier protein elicits strain-specific and strain-transcending, opsonizing antibody.

ABSTRACT: Vaccine trials and cohort studies in Plasmodium falciparum endemic areas indicate that naturally-acquired and vaccine-induced antibodies to merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) are associated with resistance to malaria. These data indicate that PfMSP2 has significant potential as a component of a multi-antigen malaria vaccine. To overcome challenges encountered with subunit malaria vaccines, we established that the use of highly immunogenic rPfMSP8 as a carrier protein for leading vaccine candidates rPfMSP1₁₉ and rPfs25 facilitated antigen production, minimized antigenic competition and enhanced induction of functional antibodies. We applied this strategy to optimize a rPfMSP2 (3D7)-based subunit vaccine by producing unfused rPfMSP2 or chimeric rPfMSP2/8 in Escherichia coli. rPfMS

SUBMITTER: Eacret JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6588637 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature