Development of novel P. falciparum malaria transmission-blocking vaccine targeted against Pf75

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04725
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Parasitology (including sanitary zoology)
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: TORII Motomi 愛媛大学, プロテオサイエンスセンター, 教授 (20164072)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 橘 真由美 愛媛大学, プロテオサイエンスセンター, 助教 (00301325) ; 石野 智子 愛媛大学, プロテオサイエンスセンター, 准教授 (40402680)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: マラリア / 熱帯熱マラリア原虫 / 伝搬阻止ワクチン / 生殖母体 / 寄生虫学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of Plasmodium falciparum gamete surface protein (Pf75) as a transmission-blocking vaccine candidate antigen. Twelve kinds of recombinant Pf75 were synthesized using a wheat germ cell-free protein synthesis system. To produce antiserum, a rabbit was immunized with each recombinant protein as an antigen. Three antisera showed strong reactivity to gametes of Plasmodium falciparum with immunofluorescence assay. Transmission-blocking efficacy was tested using standard membrane-feeding assay. The number of oocysts formed in the midgut of mosquitoes fed with infected erythrocytes mixed with anti-Pf75 antiserum or anti-GST antiserum was measured. A significant decrease in the number of oocysts was observed in the anti-Pf75 antiserum treated group compared to the anti-GST antiserum treated group (control), suggesting that the anti-Pf75 antibody has transmission-blocking activity.

Free Research Field

寄生虫学