High prevalence of human antibodies to recombinant Duffy binding-like alpha domains of the Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocyte membrane protein 1 in semi-immune adults compared to that in nonimmune children.

ABSTRACT: We used a panel of nine fusion proteins that contain different Duffy binding-like alpha (DBL-alpha) domains of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocyte membrane protein 1 to assess the levels of antibody activity in serum samples obtained from semi-immune or nonimmune individuals from Lambaréné, Gabon. Recognition was measured in terms of either the prevalence or the magnitude of the response. A strong correlation between the immune status of the patients and reactivity with recombinant proteins was observed, which was interpreted as a reflection of the number of infections acquired over time. The antibody responses were predominantly directed toward variable epitopes of the DBL-alpha domain. Antibody responses could be reduced by preincubation of the sera with various fusion proteins. A

SUBMITTER: Oguariri RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC98853 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature