IL-15 Complex-Induced IL-10 Enhances Plasmodium-specific CD4+ T Follicular Helper Differentiation and Antibody Production
J Immunol. 2024 Feb 2:ji2300525. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300525. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTMalaria, which results from infection with Plasmodium parasites, remains a major public health problem. Although humans do not develop long-lived, sterilizing immunity, protection against symptomatic disease develops after repeated exposure to Plasmodium parasites and correlates with the acquisition of humoral immunity. Despite the established role Abs play in protection from malaria disease, dysregulated inflammation is thought to contribute to the suboptimal immune response to Plasmodium infection. Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) ...
Source: Journal of Immunology - February 2, 2024 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Morgan Bravo Thamotharampillai Dileepan Molly Dolan Jacob Hildebrand Jordan Wolford Isabelle D Hanson Sara E Hamilton Anne E Frosch Kristina S Burrack Source Type: research
Longitudinal analysis of antibody responses to < i > Plasmodium vivax < /i > sporozoite antigens following natural infection
Conclusions/SignificanceThe present study demonstrated the magnitude and longevity of serological responses to multiple PE antigens ofP.vivax after natural infection. This knowledge could contribute to the design of an effectiveP.vivax vaccine. (Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases)
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - January 26, 2024 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Pongsakorn Thawornpan Source Type: research
News at a glance: Long-awaited malaria shots, risks of face recognition technology, and Japan ’s first moon landing
GLOBAL HEALTH
Long-awaited malaria shots rolled out
After a 60-year quest, the first-ever routine childhood malaria vaccinations—those given as part of the regular immunization schedule—were administered to infants and toddlers in Cameroon on 22 January. They received RTS,S or Mosquirix, made by GlaxoSmithKline and approved for general use in 2021 by the World Health Organization (WHO). The vaccine’s efficacy wanes substantially over time, but a 4-year pilot rollout required by WHO in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi showed it slashed illness and death in young children. Nineteen other African countrie...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - January 25, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Glycosylation in malaria parasites: what do we know?
Trends Parasitol. 2024 Feb;40(2):131-146. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.12.006. Epub 2024 Jan 22.ABSTRACTIn malaria parasites, although post-translational modification of proteins with N-. O-, and C-glycosidic bond-linked glycans is limited, it is confined to relatively fewer proteins in which the glycans are present at significant levels and may have important functions. Furthermore, several proteins are modified with glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) which represent the predominant glycan synthesized by parasites. Modification of proteins with GPIs is obligatory for parasite survival as GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) play e...
Source: Trends in Parasitology - January 23, 2024 Category: Parasitology Authors: D Channe Gowda Louis H Miller Source Type: research
Genetic polymorphisms of Plasmodium vivax ookinete (sexual stage) surface proteins (Pvs25 and Pvs28) from Thailand
The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of Pvs25 and Pvs28 in endemic areas of Thailand. P. vivax clinical isolates collected from Thai-neighboring border areas were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing method. Three and 14 amino acid substitutions were observed in 43 Pvs25 and 48 Pvs28 sequences, respectively. Three haplotypes in Pvs25 and 14 haplotypes with 5-7 GSGGE/D tandem repeats in Pvs28 were identified. The nucleotide diversity of pvs25 (π = 0.00059) had lower level than pvs28 (π = 0.00517). Tajima's D value for both pvs25 and pvs28 genes were negative while no sign...
Source: Infection, Genetics and Evolution - January 20, 2024 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Jiraporn Kuesap Nutnicha Suphakhonchuwong Kanchana Rungsihirunrat Source Type: research
Unveiling Malaria's Silent Threat: From Socioeconomic Divides to Religious Influences, A Path to Effective Prevention in India
J Vector Borne Dis. 2024 Jan 16. doi: 10.4103/0972-9062.393978. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTMalaria remains a formidable public health challenge in India, particularly in low-socioeconomic regions, where it exacts a heavy toll on lives every year. This pressing issue gains prominence in light of a recent study conducted by Ronald et al. in Uganda, which illuminates the factors contributing to the elevated prevalence of malaria in economically disadvantaged areas. The study underscores the efficacy of interventions such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) in curtailing malaria incidence. ...
Source: Journal of Vector Borne Diseases - January 18, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Ume Aiman Zainab Azad Abdul Raffay Awais Source Type: research
Analyses of human vaccine-specific circulating and bone marrow-resident B cell populations reveal benefit of delayed vaccine booster dosing with blood-stage malaria antigens
We have previously reported primary endpoints of a clinical trial testing two vaccine platforms for the delivery of Plasmodium vivax malaria DBPRII: viral vectors (ChAd63, MVA), and protein/adjuvant (PvDBPII with 50µg Matrix-M™ adjuvant). Delayed boosting was necessitated due to trial halts during the pandemic and provides an opportunity to investigate the impact of dosing regimens. Here, using flow cytometry – including agnostic definition of B cell populations with the clustering tool CITRUS – we report enhanced induction of DBPRII-specific plasma cell and memory B cell responses in protein/adjuvant versus viral v...
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - January 17, 2024 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
A perspective on Oxford ’s R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine and the future of global eradication efforts
Malaria affects millions of lives annually, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Despite being largely preventable, 2021 witnessed 247 million infections and over 600,000 deaths across 85 countrie... (Source: Malaria Journal)
Source: Malaria Journal - January 12, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Nicholas Aderinto, Gbolahan Olatunji, Emmanuel Kokori, Sodeeq Sikirullahi, John Ehi Aboje and Rebecca Ebokondu Ojabo Tags: Perspective Source Type: research
Exposure to common infections may shape basal immunity and potentially HIV-1 acquisition amongst a high-risk population in Coastal Kenya
IntroductionThe impact of exposure to endemic infections on basal immunity and susceptibility to HIV-1 acquisition remains uncertain. We hypothesized that exposure to infections such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), malaria and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in high-risk individuals may modulate immunity and subsequently increase susceptibility to HIV-1 acquisition.MethodsA case-control study nested in an HIV-1 negative high-risk cohort from Coastal Kenya was used. Cases were defined as volunteers who tested HIV-1 positive during follow-up and had a plasma sample collected 3 ± 2 months prior to the estimated date of HIV-...
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - January 11, 2024 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Inherently Reduced Expression of ASC Restricts Caspase-1 Processing in Hepatocytes and Promotes Plasmodium Infection
J Immunol. 2023 Dec 27:ji2300440. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300440. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTInflammasome-mediated caspase-1 activation facilitates innate immune control of Plasmodium in the liver, thereby limiting the incidence and severity of clinical malaria. However, caspase-1 processing occurs incompletely in both mouse and human hepatocytes and precludes the generation of mature IL-1β or IL-18, unlike in other cells. Why this is so or how it impacts Plasmodium control in the liver has remained unknown. We show that an inherently reduced expression of the inflammasome adaptor molecule apoptosis-associated specklike...
Source: Journal of Immunology - December 27, 2023 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Camila Marques-da-Silva Clyde Schmidt-Silva Rodrigo P Baptista Samarchith P Kurup Source Type: research
Evaluating the Genetic Diversity of the Plasmodium vivax siap2 Locus: A Promising Candidate for an Effective Malaria Vaccine?
Acta Trop. 2023 Dec 25:107111. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107111. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTMalaria is the deadliest parasitic disease in the world. Traditional control measures have become less effective; hence, there is a need to explore alternative strategies, such as antimalarial vaccines. However, designing an anti-Plasmodium vivax vaccine is considered a challenge due to the complex parasite biology and the antigens´ high genetic diversity. Recently, the sporozoite invasion-associated protein 2 (SIAP2) has been suggested as a potential antigen to be considered in vaccine design due to its significance durin...
Source: Acta Tropica - December 27, 2023 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Sergio E Plata-Pineda Laura X C árdenas-Munévar Carlos J Castro-Cavad ía Sindy P Buitrago Diego Garz ón-Ospina Source Type: research
Inherently Reduced Expression of ASC Restricts Caspase-1 Processing in Hepatocytes and Promotes Plasmodium Infection
J Immunol. 2023 Dec 27:ji2300440. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300440. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTInflammasome-mediated caspase-1 activation facilitates innate immune control of Plasmodium in the liver, thereby limiting the incidence and severity of clinical malaria. However, caspase-1 processing occurs incompletely in both mouse and human hepatocytes and precludes the generation of mature IL-1β or IL-18, unlike in other cells. Why this is so or how it impacts Plasmodium control in the liver has remained unknown. We show that an inherently reduced expression of the inflammasome adaptor molecule apoptosis-associated specklike...
Source: Journal of Immunology - December 27, 2023 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Camila Marques-da-Silva Clyde Schmidt-Silva Rodrigo P Baptista Samarchith P Kurup Source Type: research
Evaluating the Genetic Diversity of the Plasmodium vivax siap2 Locus: A Promising Candidate for an Effective Malaria Vaccine?
Acta Trop. 2023 Dec 25:107111. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107111. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTMalaria is the deadliest parasitic disease in the world. Traditional control measures have become less effective; hence, there is a need to explore alternative strategies, such as antimalarial vaccines. However, designing an anti-Plasmodium vivax vaccine is considered a challenge due to the complex parasite biology and the antigens´ high genetic diversity. Recently, the sporozoite invasion-associated protein 2 (SIAP2) has been suggested as a potential antigen to be considered in vaccine design due to its significance durin...
Source: Acta Tropica - December 27, 2023 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Sergio E Plata-Pineda Laura X C árdenas-Munévar Carlos J Castro-Cavad ía Sindy P Buitrago Diego Garz ón-Ospina Source Type: research
