Definition of T cell epitopes within the 19kDa carboxylterminal fragment of Plasmodium yoelii merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119) and their role in immunity to malaria

Abstract

MSP119 is one of the leading malaria vaccine candidates. However, the mechanism of protection is not clear. To determine whether MSP119-specific effector T cells can control parasitaemia, we analysed the specificity of T cells induced following immunization with recombinant forms of P. yoelii MSP119 and asked whether they could protect mice. There was no evidence that effector T cells were capable of protecting since: (1) immunization of mice with yMSP119, but not defined epitopes, was able to induce protection; and (2) long term MSP119-specific CD4+ T cell lines were incapable of adoptively transferring protection. In contrast, priming mice with the T cell epitopes resulted in a rapid anamn..