EX VIVO INTERFERON-GAMMA IMMUNE RESPONSE TO THROMBOSPONDIN-RELATED ADHESIVE PROTEIN IN COASTAL KENYANS: LONGEVITY AND RISK OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTION
Date
2003Author
FLANAGAN, KATIE L.
Mwangi, Tabitha
PLEBANSKI, MAGDALENA
ODHIAMBO, KENNEDY
ROSS, AMANDA
SHEU, ERIC
KORTOK, MOSES
LOWE, BRETT
MARSH, KEVIN
HILL, ADRIAN V. S.
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Abstract. Thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) of Plasmodium falciparum iscurrently being tested in
human vaccine studies. However, its natural reactivity in the field remainspoorly characterized. More than 40% of 217
Kenyan donorsres ponded in an ex vivo interferon- (IFN- ) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay to at least
one of 14 20mer peptidess panning 42% of the antigen. Reactivity wascompar able from early childhood (>1 year of age)
to old age, and the maximal precursor frequency of TRAP-specific cells to all 14 peptideswas1 in 4,000. Prospective
follow-up for one year indicated that these low-level ex vivo responses to TRAP did not protect against the subsequent
development of malaria. Retesting of selected donors after one year showed a complete change in the reactivity pattern,
suggesting that malaria-specific ex vivo IFN- ELISPOT assay responses are short lived in naturally exposed donors,
even to conserved epitopes. This study provides important information regarding natural reactivity to a key malaria
antigen.