Vaccination with live Plasmodium yoelii blood stage parasites under chloroquine cover induces cross-stage immunity against malaria liver stage

J Immunol. 2008 Dec 15;181(12):8552-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.181.12.8552.

Abstract

Immunity to malaria has long been thought to be stage-specific. In this study we show that immunization of BALB/c mice with live erythrocytes infected with nonlethal strains of Plasmodium yoelii under curative chloroquine cover conferred protection not only against challenge by blood stage parasites but also against sporozoite challenge. This cross-stage protection was dose-dependent and long lasting. CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells inhibited malaria liver but not blood stage. Their effect was mediated partially by IFN-gamma, and was completely dependent of NO. Abs against both pre-erythrocytic and blood parasites were elicited and were essential for protection against blood stage and liver stage parasites. Our results suggest that Ags shared by liver and blood stage parasites can be the foundation for a malaria vaccine that would provide effective protection against both pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic asexual parasites found in the mammalian host.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / administration & dosage*
  • Chloroquine / administration & dosage*
  • Erythrocyte Transfusion
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Erythrocytes / immunology*
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects
  • Liver Diseases, Parasitic / drug therapy
  • Liver Diseases, Parasitic / immunology
  • Liver Diseases, Parasitic / prevention & control*
  • Malaria / blood
  • Malaria / drug therapy
  • Malaria / immunology
  • Malaria / prevention & control*
  • Malaria Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Malaria Vaccines / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Plasmodium yoelii / drug effects
  • Plasmodium yoelii / growth & development*
  • Plasmodium yoelii / immunology*
  • Sporozoites / drug effects
  • Sporozoites / growth & development
  • Sporozoites / immunology

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Malaria Vaccines
  • Chloroquine