Anti-mosquito midgut antibodies block development of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in multiple species of Anopheles mosquitoes and reduce vector fecundity and survivorship

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Apr 24;98(9):5228-33. doi: 10.1073/pnas.091447398. Epub 2001 Apr 17.

Abstract

The mosquito midgut plays a central role in the sporogonic development of malaria parasites. We have found that polyclonal sera, produced against mosquito midguts, blocked the passage of Plasmodium falciparum ookinetes across the midgut, leading to a significant reduction of infections in mosquitoes. Anti-midgut mAbs were produced that display broad-spectrum activity, blocking parasite development of both P. falciparum and Plasmodium vivax parasites in five different species of mosquitoes. In addition to their parasite transmission-blocking activity, these mAbs also reduced mosquito survivorship and fecundity. These results reveal that mosquito midgut-based antibodies have the potential to reduce malaria transmission in a synergistic manner by lowering both vector competence, through transmission-blocking effects on parasite development, and vector abundance, by decreasing mosquito survivorship and egg laying capacity. Because the intervention can block transmission of different malaria parasite species in various species of mosquitoes, vaccines against such midgut receptors may block malaria transmission worldwide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anopheles / anatomy & histology
  • Anopheles / growth & development
  • Anopheles / immunology*
  • Anopheles / parasitology*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Humans
  • Immune Sera / immunology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / transmission
  • Malaria, Vivax / parasitology
  • Malaria, Vivax / transmission
  • Mice
  • Pan troglodytes / immunology
  • Plasmodium falciparum / cytology
  • Plasmodium falciparum / growth & development
  • Plasmodium falciparum / physiology*
  • Plasmodium vivax / cytology
  • Plasmodium vivax / growth & development
  • Plasmodium vivax / physiology*
  • Stomach / immunology
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Immune Sera