43 kDa and 66 kDa, two blood stage antigens induce immune response in <i>Plasmodium berghei</i> malaria

781-786The hunt for an effective vaccine against malaria still continues. Several new target antigens as candidates for vaccine design are being explored and tested for their efficacy. In the present study the sera from mice immunized with 24,000 × g fraction of Plasmodium berghei has been used to identify highly immunogenic blood stage antigens. The protective antibodies present in immune sera were covalently immobilized on CNBr activated sepharose 4B and used for affinity chromatography purification of antigens present in blood stages of P. berghei. Two polypeptides of 66 and 43 kDa molecular weights proved to be highly immunogenic. They exhibited a strong humoral immune response in mice as evident by high titres in ELISA and IFA. Protective immunity by these two antigens was apparent by in vivo and in vitro studies. These two proteins could further be analysed and used as antigens in malaria vaccine design. </span

Antibody responses to 43 and 48 kDa antigens of blood-stage Plasmodium berghei in Balb/c mice

Progress towards a vaccine against malaria is advancing rapidly with several candidate antigens being tested for their safety and efficacy. In present investigation, two polypeptides (43 and 48 kDa) of Plasmodium berghei (NK-65) were identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of both these polypeptides formulated in saponin has been compared in Balb/c mice against challenge infection with P. berghei. Antibody responses were evaluated by indirect fluorescent antibody test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Merozoite invasion inhibition assay and challenge infections revealed that 48 kDa antigen is better immunogen as compared to 43 kDa and provide better protection against rodent malaria infection