Evaluation of two Plasmodium vivax sexual stage antigens as transmission-blocking vaccine candidates

Abstract Background Plasmodium vivax transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) are receiving increasing attention. Based on excellent activities of the PbPH (PBANKA_0417200) and PbSOP26 (PBANKA_1457700) antigens in berghei , their orthologs P. PVX_098655 (PvPH) PVX_101120 (PvSOP26), were selected for evaluation potential as TBVs. Methods Fragments PvPH (amino acids 22–304) PvSOP26 30–272) expressed yeast expression system. The recombinant proteins used to immunize mice obtain antisera. transmission-reducing these antisera evaluated using direct membrane feeding assay (DMFA) Anopheles dirus mosquitoes clinical isolates. Results induced robust antibody responses mice. DMFA showed that anti-PvSOP26 sera significantly reduced oocyst densities by 92.0 84.1% two parasite isolates, respectively, whereas anti-PvPH did not show evident activity. variation results was unlikely due genetic polymorphisms genes since respective sequences identical Conclusion could be a promising TBV candidate which warrants further evaluation. Graphical