Evaluation of transmission-blocking potential of PvPSOP25 using transgenic murine malaria parasite and clinical isolates
Issued Date
2024-06-01
Resource Type
eISSN
19352735
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85196055989
Pubmed ID
38865344
Journal Title
PLoS neglected tropical diseases
Volume
18
Issue
6
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol.18 No.6 (2024) , e0012231
Suggested Citation
Zhang B., Feng H., Zhao Y., Zhang D., Yu X., Li Y., Zeng Y., Thongpoon S., Roobsoong W., Wu Y., Liu F., Sattabongkot J., Min H., Cui L., Cao Y. Evaluation of transmission-blocking potential of PvPSOP25 using transgenic murine malaria parasite and clinical isolates. PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol.18 No.6 (2024) , e0012231. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0012231 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/98905
Title
Evaluation of transmission-blocking potential of PvPSOP25 using transgenic murine malaria parasite and clinical isolates
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malaria transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) aim to inhibit malaria parasite development in mosquitoes and prevent further transmission to the human host. The putative-secreted ookinete protein 25 (PSOP25), highly conserved in Plasmodium spp., is a promising TBV target. Here, we investigated PvPSOP25 from P. vivax as a TBV candidate using transgenic murine parasite P. berghei and clinical P. vivax isolates. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A transgenic P. berghei line expressing PvPSOP25 (TrPvPSOP25Pb) was generated. Full-length PvPSOP25 was expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris and used to immunize mice to obtain anti-rPvPSOP25 sera. The transmission-blocking activity of the anti-rPvPSOP25 sera was evaluated through in vitro assays and mosquito-feeding experiments. The antisera generated by immunization with rPvPSOP25 specifically recognized the native PvPSOP25 antigen expressed in TrPvPSOP25Pb ookinetes. In vitro assays showed that the immune sera significantly inhibited exflagellation and ookinete formation of the TrPvPSOP25Pb parasite. Mosquitoes feeding on mice infected with the transgenic parasite and passively transferred with the anti-rPvPSOP25 sera showed a 70.7% reduction in oocyst density compared to the control group. In a direct membrane feeding assay conducted with five clinical P. vivax isolates, the mouse anti-rPvPSOP25 antibodies significantly reduced the oocyst density while showing a negligible influence on mosquito infection prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: This study supported the feasibility of transgenic murine malaria parasites expressing P. vivax antigens as a useful tool for evaluating P. vivax TBV candidates. Meanwhile, the moderate transmission-reducing activity of the generated anti-rPvPSOP25 sera necessitates further research to optimize its efficacy.