title: Prenatal immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 DBL-alpha domain in Gabon.
abstract: In areas where malaria transmission is stable, infants are often born to mothers who had Plasmodium falciparum infections during pregnancy. A significant number become exposed to infected erythrocytes or soluble parasite products with subsequent fetal immune priming or tolerance in utero. We performed ELISA to asses IgG and IgM seropositivity rates against three PfEMP1 DBL-alpha domains from 42 maternal-cord paired samples obtained at delivery from a hyperendemic area in Gabon. IgG was present in up to 80% of the cord serum samples, while IgM was found in only 20% of the same samples. These levels were not dependent on the parity of the mother or the peripheral and placental infectious status. The presence of IgM against DBL-alpha domain in cord serum samples suggests that this component is able to cross the placental barrier and mount a fetal immune response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute for Tropical Medicine, Wilhelmstr. 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tena-Tomás
authors.forename: Marielle K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Bouyou-Akotet
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kendjo
authors.forename: Maryvonne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kombila
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Kremsner
authors.forename: Jürgen F J
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005681:Gabon; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010920:Placenta; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C085731:erythrocyte membrane protein 1, Plasmodium falciparum; D005982:Glutathione Transferase