The need for an efficacious vaccine to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality due to Plasmodium falciparum is widely recognized and urgent. For malaria endemic areas, such a vaccine must target blood- stage parasites. Presently, the most viable approach is to immunize with subunit vaccines to induce antibodies that neutralize extracellular merozoites and prevent the invasion of host erythrocytes. P. falciparum merozoite surface protein -1 is considered the prime candidate for inclusion in such a vaccine and supporting data are substantial. Thus far, the inability to induce high titer of neutralizing antibodies upon immunization of human subjects with PfMSP-1 based subunit vaccine has impeded the effort. Recognizing that alternate and redundant pathways of merozoite invasion exist, it is also very unlikely that immunization with PfMSP-1 alone will be adequate. Working in the Plasmodium yoelii rodent model, we have shown that merozoite surface protein-8 is a target of neutralizing antibodies and can be used to enhance the immunogenicity and efficacy of MSP-1 based vaccines. Our hypothesis is that fusion of P. falciparum MSP-119 to MSP-8 will result in a chimeric vaccine that elicits potent, merozoite neutralizing immune responses that are superior to the responses induced by the current PfMSP-142 vaccines. The MSP-1/8 chimeric antigen is designed to provide strong, conserved, plasmodial-specific CD4+ T cell epitopes to promote the production of antibodies to protective B cell epitopes of MSP-1 and MSP-8, including those associated with the functionally related epidermal growth factor-like domains present in the two proteins. Specifically, we will design, produce and evaluate a PfMSP-1/8 chimeric vaccine that elicits high titers of antibodies that neutralize merozoites from diverse strains of P. falciparum. Testing will include a detailed analysis of i) T cell and B cell responses induced by immunization with the chimeric PfMSP-1/8 in comparison to PfMSP-119, PfMSP-142 or PfMSP-8 alone or an admixture of MSP-1 and MSP-8 components, ii) the ability to boost vaccine-induced immune responses by parasite associated antigen, and iii) the specificity of neutralizing antibodies for variant and/or conserved epitopes of PfMSP-1 and PfMSP-8. We have defined clear outcomes to measure 'enhancement'in immunogenicity and in merozoite neutralizing capacity. These studies will provide data to support the subsequent testing of this MSP-based P. falciparum vaccine in non-human primates and in human subjects.

Public Health Relevance

The threat of disease and death due to Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites continues unabated for nearly half of the world's population. This project is an effort to improve the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of P. falciparum MSP-1 based vaccines. Currently, P. falciparum MSP-1 is the leading blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate antigen.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI035661-12
Application #
7752473
Study Section
Vaccines Against Microbial Diseases (VMD)
Program Officer
MO, Annie X Y
Project Start
1995-09-30
Project End
2012-11-30
Budget Start
2009-12-01
Budget End
2010-11-30
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$334,125
Indirect Cost
Name
Drexel University
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
002604817
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
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Alaro, James R; Partridge, Andrea; Miura, Kazutoyo et al. (2013) A chimeric Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein vaccine induces high titers of parasite growth inhibitory antibodies. Infect Immun 81:3843-54
Alaro, James R; Angov, Evelina; Lopez, Ana M et al. (2012) Evaluation of the immunogenicity and vaccine potential of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 8. Infect Immun 80:2473-84
Thorat, Swati; Daly, Thomas M; Bergman, Lawrence W et al. (2010) Elevated levels of the Plasmodium yoelii homologue of macrophage migration inhibitory factor attenuate blood-stage malaria. Infect Immun 78:5151-62
Alaro, James R; Lynch, Michele M; Burns Jr, James M (2010) Protective immune responses elicited by immunization with a chimeric blood-stage malaria vaccine persist but are not boosted by Plasmodium yoelii challenge infection. Vaccine 28:6876-84
Petritus, Patricia M; Burns Jr, James M (2008) Suppression of lethal Plasmodium yoelii malaria following protective immunization requires antibody-, IL-4-, and IFN-gamma-dependent responses induced by vaccination and/or challenge infection. J Immunol 180:444-53
Shi, Qifang; Lynch, Michelle M; Romero, Margarita et al. (2007) Enhanced protection against malaria by a chimeric merozoite surface protein vaccine. Infect Immun 75:1349-58
Shi, Qifang; Cernetich-Ott, Amy; Lynch, Michelle M et al. (2006) Expression, localization, and erythrocyte binding activity of Plasmodium yoelii merozoite surface protein-8. Mol Biochem Parasitol 149:231-41
Shi, Qifang; Cernetich, Amy; Daly, Thomas M et al. (2005) Alteration in host cell tropism limits the efficacy of immunization with a surface protein of malaria merozoites. Infect Immun 73:6363-71