title: Immunisation against a serine protease inhibitor reduces intensity of Plasmodium berghei infection in mosquitoes.
abstract: The mosquito innate immune response is able to clear the majority of Plasmodium parasites. This immune clearance is controlled by a number of regulatory molecules including serine protease inhibitors (serpins). To determine whether such molecules could represent a novel target for a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine, we vaccinated mice with Anopheles gambiae serpin-2. Antibodies against Anopheles gambiae serpin-2 significantly reduced the infection of a heterologous Anopheles species (Anopheles stephensi) by Plasmodium berghei, however this effect was not observed with Plasmodium falciparum. Therefore, this approach of targeting regulatory molecules of the mosquito immune system may represent a novel approach to transmission-blocking malaria vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK. arw@sund.ku.dk
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Zakutansky
authors.forename: Kazutoyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Matthew D J
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dicks
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Churcher
authors.forename: Kerry E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Jewell
authors.forename: Aisling M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: Alison V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Melissa C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kapulu
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Carole A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Sinden
authors.forename: Adrian V S
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Draper
authors.forename: Sumi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biswas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D015843:Serpins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D015843:Serpins
keywords: Antibodies; Malaria; Mosquito; Serpins; Vaccine