Antibodies capable of inhibiting the invasion of Plasmodium merozoites into erythrocytes are present in individuals that are clinically immune to the malaria parasite. Those targeting the 19-kD COOH-terminal domain of the major merozoite surface protein (MSP)-119 are a major component of this inhibitory activity. However, it has been difficult to assess the overall relevance of such antibodies ...

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is an enzyme which converts the glutamic acid to the neurotransmitter gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that inhibits or weakens the neuronal stimulations. Presynaptic GABAergic neurons in the central neurons system (CNS) and the cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas generate GAD. There are two isoforms of GAD n...

Rosetting is a parasite adhesion phenotype associated with severe malaria in African children. Why parasites form rosettes is unknown, although enhanced invasion or immune evasion have been suggested as possible functions. Previous work showed that rosetting does not enhance parasite invasion under standard in vitro conditions. We hypothesised that rosetting might promote invasion in the presen...

A subset of SLE patients has serologically detectable autoantibodies to the ribosomal P proteins (anti-P). We reported the discovery of covert anti-P antibodies and their masking IgG-inhibitory antibodies in the sera of healthy adults. The aim of this study was to determine if these IgG-inhibitory antibodies are anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-Ids). IgG and IgG-depleted fractions of plasma from...

BACKGROUND The polymorphic nature of many malaria vaccine candidates presents major challenges to achieving highly efficacious vaccines. Presently, there is very little knowledge on the prevalence and patterns of functional immune responses to polymorphic vaccine candidates in populations to guide vaccine design. A leading polymorphic vaccine candidate against blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum ...

Antibodies that inhibit Plasmodium falciparum invasion of erythrocytes are believed to be an important component of immunity against malaria. During blood-stage infection, P. falciparum can use different pathways for erythrocyte invasion by varying the expression and/or utilization of members of 2 invasion ligand families: the erythrocyte-binding antigens (EBAs) and reticulocyte-binding homolog...

Erythrocyte-binding antigens (EBAs) and P. falciparum reticulocyte-binding homologue proteins (PfRhs) are two important protein families that can vary in expression and utilization by P. falciparum to evade inhibitory antibodies. We evaluated antibodies at repeated time-points among individuals living in an endemic region in Nigeria over almost one year against these vaccine candidates. Antibod...

Antibodies against the 19 kDa C-terminal fragment of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1(19)) are a major component of the invasion-inhibitory response in individuals immune to malaria. We report here the acquisition of MSP1(19)-specific invasion-inhibitory antibodies in a group of transmigrants who experienced their sequential malaria infections during settlement in an area of Indonesia where ma...

BACKGROUND Antibodies targeting blood stage antigens are important in protection against malaria, but the key targets and mechanisms of immunity are not well understood. Merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) is an abundant and essential protein. The C-terminal 19 kDa region (MSP1-19) is regarded as a promising vaccine candidate and may also be an important target of immunity. METHODOLOGY/FINDING...