title: Induction of sporozoite-specific memory cells in mice immunized with a recombinant Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein.
abstract: A recombinant Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite (CS) protein (rPvCS-1) has been investigated as a possible malaria sporozoite vaccine candidate. Experiments were carried out to determine whether sporozoite-specific memory cells develop in Swiss Webster mice immunized with rPvCS-1. Challenge of rPvCS-1-immunized mice with P. vivax sporozoites resulted in a 100-fold increase in the mean serum anti-sporozoite antibody titer. The presence of parasite-specific T helper cells was demonstrated using an in vitro assay. Anti-CS antibodies were detected in the culture supernatants of spleen cells of rPvCS-1-immunized mice following in vitro challenge with P. vivax sporozoite extract. Immune spleen cells depleted of T cells did not produce antibodies when challenged with sporozoite extract in vitro. In conclusion, immunization of mice with the rPvCS-1 protein induced memory T cells which recognized native CS antigen and functioned as T helper cells in the production of anti-sporozoite antibodies both in vivo and in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Molecular Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Nardin
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Nussenzweig
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nussenzweig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C041595:circumsporozoite protein, Protozoan