Novel techniques of immunology, molecular and cell biology have recently been used to gain a better understanding of Plasmodium- host interaction, and to serve as a basis for the development of effective malaria control measures, including vaccines. This research has lead to considerable progress in the last few years, but has been limited to a single human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. It is our objective to extend this research to the second most prevalent human malaria parasite, Plasmodium vivax, by initiating a molecular analysis valent human malaria parasite, Plasmodium vivax, by initiating a molecular analysis of blood stage antigens and red blood cell components involved in parasite host-cell interaction. For this purpose we will pursue the following lines of research: (1) identify the merozoite proteins of P. vivax and investigate their role in the attachment process, focusing on the interaction between parasite ligands and receptors on the erythrocyte surface; (2) identify the parasite proteins inserted into or associated with the infected erythrocyte membrane and the caveolar-vesicular complexes; (3) isolate and characterize the genes encoding selected P. vivax blood stage proteins involved in parasite interaction with host erythrocytes and the immune system. It is hoped that the proposed approaches will provide basic information for the development of anti-P. vivax blood stage vaccine candidates. Maximal protection against vivax malaria is likely to be achieved using a polyvalent vaccine protecting against several parasite antigens which can be targeted throughout the life cycle.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Unknown (R22)
Project #
5R22AI024710-05
Application #
3566972
Study Section
Tropical Medicine and Parasitology Study Section (TMP)
Project Start
1987-03-01
Project End
1992-02-29
Budget Start
1991-03-01
Budget End
1992-02-29
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
New York University
Department
Type
DUNS #
004514360
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10012
Akinyi, Sheila; Hanssen, Eric; Meyer, Esmeralda V S et al. (2012) A 95 kDa protein of Plasmodium vivax and P. cynomolgi visualized by three-dimensional tomography in the caveola-vesicle complexes (Schuffner's dots) of infected erythrocytes is a member of the PHIST family. Mol Microbiol 84:816-31
Korir, Cindy C; Galinski, Mary R (2006) Proteomic studies of Plasmodium knowlesi SICA variant antigens demonstrate their relationship with P. falciparum EMP1. Infect Genet Evol 6:75-9
Okenu, D M N; Meyer, E V-S; Puckett, T C et al. (2005) The reticulocyte binding proteins of Plasmodium cynomolgi: a model system for studies of P. vivax. Mol Biochem Parasitol 143:116-20
Rayner, Julian C; Huber, Curtis S; Feldman, Dmitry et al. (2004) Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein PvMSP-3 beta is radically polymorphic through mutation and large insertions and deletions. Infect Genet Evol 4:309-19
Galinski, Mary R; Corredor, Vladimir (2004) Variant antigen expression in malaria infections: posttranscriptional gene silencing, virulence and severe pathology. Mol Biochem Parasitol 134:17-25
Oliveira-Ferreira, Joseli; Vargas-Serrato, Esmeralda; Barnwell, John W et al. (2004) Immunogenicity of Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-9 recombinant proteins expressed in E. coli. Vaccine 22:2023-30
Corredor, Vladimir; Meyer, Esmeralda V S; Lapp, Stacey et al. (2004) A SICAvar switching event in Plasmodium knowlesi is associated with the DNA rearrangement of conserved 3' non-coding sequences. Mol Biochem Parasitol 138:37-49
Vargas-Serrato, Esmeralda; Corredor, Vladimir; Galinski, Mary R (2003) Phylogenetic analysis of CSP and MSP-9 gene sequences demonstrates the close relationship of Plasmodium coatneyi to Plasmodium knowlesi. Infect Genet Evol 3:67-73
Vargas-Serrato, Esmeralda; Barnwell, John W; Ingravallo, Paul et al. (2002) Merozoite surface protein-9 of Plasmodium vivax and related simian malaria parasites is orthologous to p101/ABRA of P. falciparum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 120:41-52
Rayner, J C; Corredor, V; Feldman, D et al. (2002) Extensive polymorphism in the plasmodium vivax merozoite surface coat protein MSP-3alpha is limited to specific domains. Parasitology 125:393-405

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