title: Acquisition of antibodies to variant antigens on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes during pregnancy.
abstract: Pregnancy-associated malaria is characterized by Plasmodium falciparum adherence to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) in placenta, through a particular variant surface antigen (VSA). VSA(CSA)-specific IgG are involved in protection against placental malaria. In order to assess the relationship between VSA(CSA)-specific antibody responses and parity as well as protection against placental malaria, the occurrence of P. falciparum infection was assessed in 306 pregnant women from a low malaria transmission area of Senegal. Anti-VSA(CSA) antibodies against three placental parasite isolates were measured by flow cytometry, at enrollment and delivery. Placental infection prevalence rates were highest in primigravidae, but no clear decreasing trend was observed from the second pregnancy onwards. Anti-VSA(CSA) antibody prevalence rates increased with parity. Both anti-VSA(CSA) antibody prevalence rates and levels increased during pregnancy only in women infected with P. falciparum. Although a single or a very limited number of P. falciparum infections were able to induce an anti-VSA(CSA) antibody response, the level or the quality of this response did not appear to confer protection against placental malaria infection.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UR 010, Mother and Child Health in the Tropics, BP1386 CP 18524 Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fievet
authors.forename: Jean Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Le Hesran
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.forename: Souleymane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doucoure
authors.forename: Ibrahima
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Diouf
authors.forename: Jean Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
authors.forename: Gwladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertin
authors.forename: Oumar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gaye
authors.forename: Sokhna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sow
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deloron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan