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antigenic variation

Impact of natural immunity on expression of Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens

Full Title: 
Measuring the impact of naturally acquired immunity on the expression of Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens
Principal Investigator(s): 
Pete Bull

Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes express on their surface, members of a diverse family of parasite molecules called PfEMP1 that are encoded by a family of 60 var genes in every parasite genome. These molecules interact with the surface of host cells and mediate parasite sequestration in tissues including the brain, an important step in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria. Although naturally acquired antibodies to PfEMP1 provide specific protection against the molecular variants that they recognise, PfEMP1 are often considered too diverse to be vaccine candidates.

Antigenic cartography of malaria parasites

Other Investigator(s): 
Faith Osier
Other Investigator(s): 
Kevin Marsh


Derek Smith, the pioneer of ‘antigenic cartography' in human influenza - a method that captures the antigenic diversity among a set of pathogen strains in the form of a map - , has involved me in testing whether the technique can be applied in a useful way to malaria. In conjunction with collaborators in Denmark, London, Melbourne, Edinburgh and Kenya, we have been analysing the patterns of response to malaria surface antigens (general ones as well as pregnancy-associated ones). A related area of work on the role of antigenic diversity in malaria disease is that of Dr. Faith Osier and colleagues assessing the importance of the breadth and depth of multi-antigen responses to protection against malarial disease.

Variant antigen families in Plasmodium falciparum as targets for malaria immunity

Full Title: 
Non-var-encoded variant antigen families in Plasmodium falciparum as targets for naturally acquired immunity to malaria
Principal Investigator(s): 
Vandana Thathy

Subprojects:

  1. Sequence diversity and expression patterns of the rif and stevor multigene families in wild isolates of P. falciparum sampled from natural malaria infections in coastal Kenya
  2. Naturally acquired antibody responses to RIFIN and STEVOR variant antigens expressed during P. falciparum malaria
  3. Protein trafficking and sub-cellular localization studies using transgenic parasites.

 

Vandana Thathy

vandana-thathy.jpg
Email: 
vthathyatkilifi [dot] kemri-wellcome [dot] org
Group: 
Molecular Parasitology and Immunology

The deadliest human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, infects red blood cells during part of its lifecycle, producing the symptoms of malaria.