Profiling the antibody response of humans protected by immunization with Plasmodium vivax radiation-attenuated sporozoites

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 2790 - 12
• Main Authors: Lopez-Perez, Mary, Jain, Aarti, Davies, D. Huw, Vásquez-Jiménez, Juan M., Herrera, Sonia M., Oñate, José, Felgner, Philip L., Herrera, Sócrates, Arévalo-Herrera, Myriam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 02.02.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/250/255; 631/250/590; Antibodies; Antibody response; Antigens; Circumsporozoite protein; Humanities and Social Sciences; Immunization; Infections; Malaria; multidisciplinary; NCT; NCT01082341; Parasites; Peripheral blood; Protein arrays; Proteins; Radiation; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sporozoites; Vaccines; Vector-borne diseases
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53175-0

Malaria sterile immunity has been reproducibly induced by immunization with Plasmodium radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS). Analyses of sera from RAS-immunized individuals allowed the identification of P. falciparum antigens, such as the circumsporozoite protein (CSP), the basis for the RTS, S and R21Matrix-M vaccines. Similar advances in P. vivax ( Pv ) vaccination have been elusive. We previously reported 42% (5/12) of sterile protection in malaria-unexposed, Duffy-positive (Fy +) volunteers immunized with Pv RAS followed by a controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). Using a custom protein microarray displaying 515 Pv antigens, we found a significantly higher reactivity to Pv CSP and one hypothetical protein (PVX_089630) in volunteers protected against P. vivax infection. In mock-vaccinated Fy + volunteers, a strong antibody response to CHMI was also observed. Although the Fy- volunteers immunized with non-irradiated Pv -infected mosquitoes (live sporozoites) did not develop malaria after CHMI, they recognized a high number of antigens, indicating the temporary presence of asexual parasites in peripheral blood. Together, our findings contribute to the understanding of the antibody response to P.   vivax infection and allow the identification of novel parasite antigens as vaccine candidates. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT 01082341.