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ABSTRACT: Background
Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread human malaria geographically; however, no effective vaccine exists. Red blood cell invasion by the P. vivax merozoite depends on an interaction between the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) and region II of the parasite's Duffy-binding protein (PvDBP_RII). Naturally acquired binding-inhibitory antibodies against this interaction associate with clinical immunity, but it is unknown whether these responses can be induced by human vaccination.Methods
Safety and immunogenicity of replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus serotype 63 (ChAd63) and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) viral vectored vaccines targeting PvDBP_RII (Salvador I strain) were assessed in an open-label dose-escalation phase Ia study in 24 healthy UK adults. Vaccines were delivered by the intramuscular route in a ChAd63-MVA heterologous prime-boost regimen using an 8-week interval.Results
Both vaccines were well tolerated and demonstrated a favorable safety profile in malaria-naive adults. PvDBP_RII-specific ex-vivo IFN-γ T cell, antibody-secreting cell, memory B cell, and serum IgG responses were observed after the MVA boost immunization. Vaccine-induced antibodies inhibited the binding of vaccine homologous and heterologous variants of recombinant PvDBP_RII to the DARC receptor, with median 50% binding-inhibition titers greater than 1:100.Conclusion
We have demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge that strain-transcending antibodies can be induced against the PvDBP_RII antigen by vaccination in humans. These vaccine candidates warrant further clinical evaluation of efficacy against the blood-stage P. vivax parasite.Trial registration
Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01816113.Funding
Support was provided by the UK Medical Research Council, UK National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and the Wellcome Trust.
SUBMITTER: Payne RO
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5470884 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

Payne Ruth O RO Silk Sarah E SE Elias Sean C SC Milne Kathryn H KH Rawlinson Thomas A TA Llewellyn David D Shakri A Rushdi AR Jin Jing J Labbé Geneviève M GM Edwards Nick J NJ Poulton Ian D ID Roberts Rachel R Farid Ryan R Jørgensen Thomas T Alanine Daniel Gw DG de Cassan Simone C SC Higgins Matthew K MK Otto Thomas D TD McCarthy James S JS de Jongh Willem A WA Nicosia Alfredo A Moyle Sarah S Hill Adrian Vs AV Berrie Eleanor E Chitnis Chetan E CE Lawrie Alison M AM Draper Simon J SJ
JCI insight 20170615 12
<h4>Background</h4>Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread human malaria geographically; however, no effective vaccine exists. Red blood cell invasion by the P. vivax merozoite depends on an interaction between the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) and region II of the parasite's Duffy-binding protein (PvDBP_RII). Naturally acquired binding-inhibitory antibodies against this interaction associate with clinical immunity, but it is unknown whether these responses can be induced by human ...[more]