Abstract
A Plasmodium falciparum antigen gene coding for a 220-kD glutamate-rich protein (GLURP) has been cloned, and the 783 C-terminal amino acids of this protein (GLURP489-1271) have been expressed as a beta-galactosidase fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The encoded 783 amino acid residues contain two areas of repeated amino acid sequences. Antibodies against recombinant GLURP489-1271, as well as against a synthetic peptide corresponding to GLURP899-916, and against a synthetic peptide representing the major glutamate rich repeat sequence from the P. falciparum ring erythrocyte surface antigen (Pf155/RESA) (EENV)6 were examined in 423 individuals (age range 30 days-78 years) living in a malaria holoendemic area of Liberia. In the 5-9-year-old age group, subjects with anti-GLURP489-1271 antibody concentrations greater than the mean value of the group had lower parasite densities than those with low antibody concentrations (P = 0.0151). High levels of anti-GLURP899-916 antibodies did not correlate with low parasite densities. However, high levels of anti-(EENV)6 antibodies were associated with significantly lower parasite densities in the 2-4-year-old age group (P = 0.0189). There was no correlation between the anti-GLURP489-1271 and anti-(EENV)6 antibody responses. The data provide indirect evidence for a protective role of antibodies reacting with recombinant GLURP489-1271 as well as with the synthetic peptide (EENV)6 from the Pf155/RESA.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Pages (from-to) | 307-13 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| ISSN | 0002-9637 |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 1992 |
Keywords
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Age Factors
- Aged
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Humans
- Infant
- Liberia
- Malaria, Falciparum
- Middle Aged
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Protozoan Proteins
- Recombinant Proteins
- Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
