The Isolation and Characterization of Plasmodial Genes

McCutchan, T.

Abstract

This laboratory has been involved in contributing to the development of a malarial vaccine. To this end we have been characterizing surface antigen genes from Plasmodium falciparum and have been developing a rodent model for vaccine testing. An antigen corresponding to the sporozoite antigens of the human malarias has been identified in a rodent malaria and a rodent model for malaria vaccines has been developed. We have immunized mice against this antigen. We have challenged the immunized mice with malarial parasites and characterized the degree of protection afforded by the vaccination as well as the B- cell and T-cell responses. We have also identified and characterized a major biochemical step in the development of Plasmodium, the stage-dependent ribosome.

Funding Agency

• Agency: National Institute of Health (NIH)
• Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
• Type: Intramural Research (Z01)
• Project #: 1Z01AI000208-08
• Application #: 3821990
• Support Year: 8
• Fiscal Year: 1987

Institution

• Name: Niaid Extramural Activities
• Country: United States

Publications

Oakley, Miranda S; Majam, Victoria; Mahajan, Babita et al. (2009) Pathogenic roles of CD14, galectin-3, and OX40 during experimental cerebral malaria in mice. PLoS One 4:e6793

Raj, Dipak Kumar; Mu, Jianbing; Jiang, Hongying et al. (2009) Disruption of a Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance-associated protein (PfMRP) alters its fitness and transport of antimalarial drugs and glutathione. J Biol Chem 284:7687-96

McCutchan, Thomas F (2008) Beyond bed nets. Science 319:33

Oakley, Miranda S; McCutchan, Thomas F; Anantharaman, Vivek et al. (2008) Host biomarkers and biological pathways that are associated with the expression of experimental cerebral malaria in mice. Infect Immun 76:4518-29

Grim, K Christiana; McCutchan, Thomas; Sullivan, Margery et al. (2008) Unidentified Plasmodium species in Australian black swans (Cygnus atratus) hatched and raised in North America. J Zoo Wildl Med 39:216-20

Joy, Deirdre A; Gonzalez-Ceron, Lilia; Carlton, Jane M et al. (2008) Local adaptation and vector-mediated population structure in Plasmodium vivax malaria. Mol Biol Evol 25:1245-52

McCutchan, Thomas F (2008) Is a monkey malaria from Borneo an emerging human disease? Future Microbiol 3:115-8

Li, Jian; Zhang, Yanhui; Sullivan, Margery et al. (2007) Typing Plasmodium yoelii microsatellites using a simple and affordable fluorescent labeling method. Mol Biochem Parasitol 155:94-102

Oakley, Miranda S M; Kumar, Sanjai; Anantharaman, Vivek et al. (2007) Molecular factors and biochemical pathways induced by febrile temperature in intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Infect Immun 75:2012-25

Rathore, Dharmendar; Nagarkatti, Rana; Jani, Dewal et al. (2005) An immunologically cryptic epitope of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein facilitates liver cell recognition and induces protective antibodies that block liver cell invasion. J Biol Chem 280:20524-9