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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Malaria elimination requires tools that interrupt parasite transmission. Here, we characterize B cell receptor responses among Malian adults vaccinated against the first domain of the cysteine-rich 230 kDa gamete surface protein Pfs230, a key protein in sexual stage development of P. falciparum parasites. Among nine Pfs230 human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that we generated, one potently blocks transmission to mosquitoes in a complement-dependent manner and reacts to the gamete surface; the other eight show only low or no blocking activity. The structure of the transmission-blocking mAb in complex with vaccine antigen reveals a large discontinuous conformational epitope, specific to domain 1 of Pfs230 and comprising six structural elements in the protein. The epitope is conserved, suggesting the transmission-blocking mAb is broadly functional. This study provides a rational basis to improve malaria vaccines and develop therapeutic antibodies for malaria elimination.

A human monoclonal antibody blocks malaria transmission and defines a highly conserved neutralizing epitope on gametes.,Coelho CH, Tang WK, Burkhardt M, Galson JD, Muratova O, Salinas ND, Alves E Silva TL, Reiter K, MacDonald NJ, Nguyen V, Herrera R, Shimp R, Narum DL, Byrne-Steele M, Pan W, Hou X, Brown B, Eisenhower M, Han J, Jenkins BJ, Doritchamou JYA, Smelkinson MG, Vega-Rodriguez J, Truck J, Taylor JJ, Sagara I, Healy SA, Renn JP, Tolia NH, Duffy PE Nat Commun. 2021 Mar 19;12(1):1750. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21955-1. PMID:33741942^[2]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.