Journal article
Human antibodies activate complement against Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites, and are associated with protection against malaria in children
L Kurtovic, MC Behet, G Feng, L Reiling, K Chelimo, AE Dent, I Mueller, JW Kazura, RW Sauerwein, FJI Fowkes, JG Beeson
BMC Medicine | BMC | Published : 2018
Abstract
Background: Antibodies targeting Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites play a key role in human immunity to malaria. However, antibody mechanisms that neutralize sporozoites are poorly understood. This has been a major constraint in developing highly efficacious vaccines, as we lack strong correlates of protective immunity. Methods: We quantified the ability of human antibodies from malaria-exposed populations to interact with human complement, examined the functional effects of complement activity against P. falciparum sporozoites in vitro, and identified targets of functional antibodies. In children and adults from malaria-endemic regions, we determined the acquisition of complement-fixing ant..
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Grants
Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Funding Acknowledgements
Funding was provided by PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative; the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (program grant to JGB; research fellowships to JGB and IM); the National Institutes of Health; the Australian government's Research Training Program Scholarship; and the Nijmegen Institute for Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (N4i) for a PhD scholarship. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The Burnet Institute is supported by an operational infrastructure support grant from Victoria's state government, and the infrastructure support scheme of the NHMRC Independent Research Institutes. This paper is published with permission from the director of the Kenya Medical Research Institute.