They propose to 1) Identify new antigens and epitopes from malaria liver stages (Exo-erythrocytic forms (EEF). Immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites leads to sterile immunity, and the effector mechanisms are antibodies, cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) and lymophokines. In the blood circulation, antibodies attach the incoming sporozoites. If some escape and enter hepatocytes, the developing EEF can only be destroyed by T lymphocytes or by their products. Though very desirable, the systematic identification of proteins synthesized by sporozoites and carried into the EEF, or of EEF-specific proteins, has been hindered by difficulties in obtaining purified preparations of these parasite stages. They have constructed rodent malaria parasites (Plasmodium berghei) expressing GFP, the green fluorescent protein. FAC sorting will permit the purification of the highly fluorescent sporozoites from the contaminating material in the salivary glands of mosquitoes, and separation of the EEF from the vast numbers of non-infected hepatocytes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI047102-03
Application #
6511228
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-TMP (03))
Program Officer
Hall, B Fenton
Project Start
2000-03-01
Project End
2005-02-28
Budget Start
2002-03-01
Budget End
2003-02-28
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$412,500
Indirect Cost
Name
New York University
Department
Pathology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10016
Persson, Cathrine; Oliveira, Giane A; Sultan, Ali A et al. (2002) Cutting edge: a new tool to evaluate human pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccines: rodent parasites bearing a hybrid Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein. J Immunol 169:6681-5
Kappe, S H; Gardner, M J; Brown, S M et al. (2001) Exploring the transcriptome of the malaria sporozoite stage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98:9895-900