Abstract
A significant global malaria incidence reduction in the last two decades has stimulated greater efforts toward its
global eradication; however, this ambitious goal demands novel and highly efficacious control tools, including
vaccines. Although the biological complexity of the Plasmodium life cycle has prevented faster progress towards
the development of a highly efficacious malaria vaccine, recent technological and scientific developments could
facilitate further progress. We propose to integrate established facilities, experimental models, and standardized
and novel techniques to identify and characterize P. vivax (Pv) pre-erythrocytic (PE) antigens showing
vaccine potential for further clinical development. Our general hypothesis is that “immunization with
selected PvPE antigen constructs can induce protective immune responses in the vertebrate host.” The overall
goal of this proposal is to accelerate Pv vaccine development by identifying and characterizing classical and
novel vaccine candidates with confirmed protective efficacy that could be further advanced to clinical
development. Specific aims are Aim 1: Characterization of novel PvPE antigens recognized preferentially by
sporozoite-vaccinated and protected individuals; Aim 2: Evaluation of the immunogenicity and protective efficacy
of novel PvPE protein constructs in animal models; Aim 3: Design of self-assembled protein nanoparticle (SAPN)
constructs containing antigenically relevant Pv-CSP and novel PvPE selected proteins/fragments; Aim 4:
Generation of anti-Pv-CSP human monoclonal antibodies (Hu-MABs) with protective efficacy to define their
precise epitopes and conformations. Methods are 1) selection and expression of early and late PvPE antigens
associated with sterile protection, using Pv protein microarrays. 2) In silico prediction of B, T and CTL epitopes,
and synthesis of the corresponding peptide sequences. 3) Immunological characterization, i.e., humoral (ELISA
Igs/isotypes) and CMI (FACS cytokines/cell profiles) responses. 4) Immunogenicity and protective efficacy
analyses of selected antigen constructs/formulations in rodents, using transgenic parasites. 5) Monkey
immunogenicity, ex-vivo inhibition of spz invasion (ISI) to liver cells, protective efficacy to wild-type spz, and
durability of protection. 6) Development of SAPN constructs containing the Pv-CSP variants (VK210; VK247); 7)
Evaluation of the nanoparticles´ immunogenicity and protective efficacy in mice and monkeys; 8) Development
of Pv-CSP Hu-MABs and analyses of their protective efficacy and fine epitope specificity; 9) Antigen-antibody
(Ag::Ab) interactions analyses by X-ray crystallography. The innovation of this proposal is the use of a
comprehensive, rational, and rigorous Pv protein/epitope down-selection process using unique sera/cells from
malaria vaccinated protected individuals, together with protein structural analyses leading to the rational design
of protective nanoparticle formulations. The significance of this proposal is to provide rapid preclinical
development of 1-2 highly efficacious PvPE vaccines for future clinical evaluation and Pv-HuMABs that could be
administered passively for malaria prophylaxis.
