Dataset Information

Design of Alphavirus Virus-Like Particles Presenting Circumsporozoite Junctional Epitopes That Elicit Protection against Malaria.

ABSTRACT: The most advanced malaria vaccine, RTS,S, includes the central repeat and C-terminal domains of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). We have recently isolated human antibodies that target the junctional region between the N-terminal and repeat domains that are not included in RTS,S. Due to the fact that these antibodies protect against malaria challenge in mice, their epitopes could be effective vaccine targets. Here, we developed immunogens displaying PfCSP junctional epitopes by genetic fusion to either the N-terminus or B domain loop of the E2 protein from chikungunya (CHIK) alphavirus and produced CHIK virus-like particles (CHIK-VLPs). The structural integrity of these junctional-epitope-CHIK-VLP immunogens was confirmed by negative-stain electron microscopy. Immunization of these CHIK-VLP immunogens reduced parasite liver load by up to 95% in a mouse model of malaria infection and elicited better protection than when displayed on keyhole limpet hemocyanin, a commonly used immunogenic carrier. Protection correlated with PfCSP serum titer. Of note, different junctional sequences elicited qualitatively different reactivities to overlapping PfCSP peptides. Overall, these results show that the junctional epitopes of PfCSP can induce protective responses when displayed on CHIK-VLP immunogens and provide a basis for the development of a next generation malaria vaccine to expand the breadth of anti-PfCSP immunity.

SUBMITTER: Francica JR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8003078 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Design of Alphavirus Virus-Like Particles Presenting Circumsporozoite Junctional Epitopes That Elicit Protection against Malaria.

Francica Joseph R JR Shi Wei W Chuang Gwo-Yu GY Chen Steven J SJ Da Silva Pereira Lais L Farney S Katie SK Flynn Barbara J BJ Ou Li L Stephens Tyler T Tsybovsky Yaroslav Y Wang Lawrence T LT Anderson Alexander A Beck Zoltan Z Dillon Marlon M Idris Azza H AH Hurlburt Nicholas N Liu Tracy T Zhang Baoshan B Alving Carl R CR Matyas Gary R GR Pancera Marie M Mascola John R JR Kwong Peter D PD Seder Robert A RA

Vaccines 20210318 3

The most advanced malaria vaccine, RTS,S, includes the central repeat and C-terminal domains of the <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). We have recently isolated human antibodies that target the junctional region between the N-terminal and repeat domains that are not included in RTS,S. Due to the fact that these antibodies protect against malaria challenge in mice, their epitopes could be effective vaccine targets. Here, we developed immunogens displaying PfCSP junctio ...[more]

PMID: 33803622

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Project description:RTS,S/AS01(E) is the lead candidate pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine. In Phase IIb field trials the safety profile was acceptable and the efficacy was 53% (95%CI 31%-72%) for protecting children against clinical malaria caused by P. falciparum. We studied CS-specific T cell responses in order to identify correlates of protection.We used intracellular cytokine staining (for IL2, IFN?, and TNF?), ex-vivo ELISPOTs (IFN? and IL2) and IFN? cultured ELISPOT assays to characterize the CS-specific cellular responses in 407 children (5-17 months of age) in a phase IIb randomized controlled trial of RTS,S/AS01(E) (NCT00380393). RTS,S/ AS01(E) vaccinees had higher frequencies of CS-specific CD4+ T cells producing IFN?, TNF? or IL2 compared to control vaccinees. In a multivariable analysis TNF?(+) CD4(+) T cells were independently associated with a reduced risk for clinical malaria among RTS,S/AS01(E) vaccinees (HR = 0.64, 95%CI 0.49-0.86, p = 0.002). There was a non-significant tendency towards reduced risk among control vaccinees (HR = 0.80, 95%CI 0.62-1.03, p = 0.084), albeit with lower CS-specific T cell frequencies and higher rates of clinical malaria. When data from both RTS,S/AS01(E) vaccinees and control vaccinees were combined (with adjusting for vaccination group), the HR was 0.74 (95%CI 0.62-0.89, p = 0.001). After a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons (n-18), the finding was still significant at p = 0.018. There was no significant correlation between cultured or ex vivo ELISPOT data and protection from clinical malaria. The combination of TNF?(+) CD4(+) T cells and anti-CS antibody statistically accounted for the protective effect of vaccination in a Cox regression model.RTS,S/AS01(E) induces CS-specific Th1 T cell responses in young children living in a malaria endemic area. The combination of anti-CS antibody concentrations titers and CS-specific TNF?(+) CD4(+) T cells could account for the level of protection conferred by RTS,S/AS01(E). The correlation between CS-specific TNF?(+) CD4(+) T cells and protection needs confirmation in other datasets.

Dataset Information

Design of Alphavirus Virus-Like Particles Presenting Circumsporozoite Junctional Epitopes That Elicit Protection against Malaria.

Publications

Design of Alphavirus Virus-Like Particles Presenting Circumsporozoite Junctional Epitopes That Elicit Protection against Malaria.

Similar Datasets

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