title: Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 2: epitope mapping and fine specificity of human antibody response against non-polymorphic domains.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Two long synthetic peptides representing the dimorphic and constant C-terminal domains of the two allelic families of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface proteins 2 are considered promising malaria vaccine candidates. The aim of the current study is to characterize the immune response (epitope mapping) in naturally exposed individuals and relate immune responses to the risk of clinical malaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  To optimize their construction, the fine specificity of human serum antibodies from donors of different age, sex and living in four distinct endemic regions was determined in ELISA by using overlapping 20 mer peptides covering the two domains. Immune purified antibodies were used in Western blot and immunofluorescence assay to recognize native parasite derivate proteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunodominant epitopes were characterized, and their distribution was similar irrespective of geographic origin, age group and gender. Acquisition of a 3D7 family and constant region-specific immune response and antibody avidity maturation occur early in life while a longer period is needed for the corresponding FC27 family response. In addition, the antibody response to individual epitopes within the 3D7 family-specific region contributes to protection from malaria infection with different statistical weight. It is also illustrated that affinity-purified antibodies against the dimorphic or constant regions recognized homologous and heterologous parasites in immunofluorescence and homologous and heterologous MSP2 and other polypeptides in Western blot.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data from this current study may contribute to a development of MSP2 vaccine candidates based on conserved and dimorphic regions thus bypassing the complexity of vaccine development related to the polymorphism of full-length MSP2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Ch des Boveresses 155, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland. balamsira@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Saidou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balam
authors.forename: Sope
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olugbile
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Servis
authors.forename: Mahamadou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diakité
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Remy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moret
authors.forename: Issa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nebie
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Felger
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Andrey V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kajava
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spertini
authors.forename: Giampietro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corradin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000939:Epitopes; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065974:merozoite surface protein 2, Plasmodium