A Plant-Produced in vivo deglycosylated full-length Pfs48/45 as a Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Candidate against malaria

Sci Rep. 2019 Jul 8;9(1):9868. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46375-6.

Abstract

Pfs48/45 is a leading antigen candidate for a transmission blocking (TB) vaccine. However, efforts to produce affordable, safe and correctly folded full-length Pfs48/45 using different protein expression systems have not produced an antigen with satisfactory TB activity. Pfs48/45 has 16 cysteines involved in disulfide bond formation, and the correct formation is critical for proper folding and induction of TB antibodies. Moreover, Pfs48⁄45 is not a glycoprotein in the native hosts, but contains potential glycosylation sites, which are aberrantly glycosylated during expression in eukaryotic systems. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that full length, Endo H in vivo enzymatic deglycosylated Pfs48/45 antigen is produced at a high level in plants and is structurally stable at elevated temperatures. Sera from mice immunized with this antigen showed strong inhibition in SMFA. Thus, Endo H in vivo enzymatic deglycosylated Pfs48/45 is a promising candidate for the development of an affordable TB vaccine, which may have the potential to save millions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Blocking / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / immunology
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology
  • Antigens, Protozoan / metabolism
  • Glycosylation
  • Immunization / methods
  • Malaria Vaccines / immunology*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / immunology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nicotiana / metabolism*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / immunology
  • Protozoan Proteins / immunology*
  • Protozoan Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Blocking
  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Malaria Vaccines
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • pfs48-45 protein, Plasmodium falciparum