Identification of an Immunogenic Broadly Inhibitory Surface Epitope of the Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein Ligand Domain.

The Duffy binding protein region II (DBPII) is a vital ligand for the parasite's invasion of reticulocytes, thereby making this molecule an attractive vaccine candidate against vivax malaria. However, strain-specific immunity due to DBPII allelic variation in Bc epitopes may complicate vaccine efficacy, suggesting that an effective DBPII vaccine needs to target conserved epitopes that are potential targets of strain-transcending neutralizing immunity. The minimal epitopes reactive with functionally inhibitory anti-DBPII monoclonal antibody (MAb) 3C9 and noninhibitory anti-DBPII MAb 3D10 were mapped using phage display expression libraries, since previous attempts to deduce the 3C9 epitope by cocrystallographic methods failed.

An engineered vaccine of the Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein enhances induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies.

Plasmodium vivax invasion into human reticulocytes is a complex process. The Duffy binding protein (DBP) dimerization with its cognate receptor is vital for junction formation in the invasion process. Due to its functional importance, DBP is considered a prime vaccine candidate, but variation in B-cell epitopes at the dimer interface of DBP leads to induction of strain-limited immunity.

Immunogenicity of a synthetic vaccine based on Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein region II.

Molecules that play a role in Plasmodium merozoite invasion of host red blood cells represent attractive targets for blood-stage vaccine development against malaria. In Plasmodium vivax, merozoite invasion of reticulocytes is mediated by the Duffy binding protein (DBP), which interacts with its cognate receptor, the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines, on the surface of reticulocytes. The DBP ligand domain, known as region II (DBPII), contains the critical residues for receptor recognition, making it a prime target for vaccine development against blood-stage vivax malaria.

Immunogenicity of single versus mixed allele vaccines of Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein region II.

The Duffy binding protein (DBP) of Plasmodium vivax is vital for host erythrocyte invasion. DBP region II (DBPII) contains critical residues for receptor recognition and anti-DBPII antibodies have been shown to inhibit erythrocyte binding and invasion, thereby making the molecule an attractive vaccine candidate against P. vivax blood stages.