Análise do potencial imunogênico de variantes polimórficas da proteína de ligação ao antígeno Duffy (DBP) do Plasmodium vivax em modelos murinos

Abstract

Malaria is a parasitic disease that affects millions of people worldwide, and species of protozoa that cause human malaria, Plasmodium vivax is the species that has the highest worldwide distribution. In this species, so that the merozoite invades erythrocytes are required specific interactions involving proteins of the parasite and receptors present on the host cell surface, and this invasion mediated by the interaction between the binding protein to Duffy antigen (Duffy Binding Protein - PvDBP) and its receptor on the surface of Duffy positive erythrocytes. In endemic areas of Brazil, MT and PA polymorphisms were shown to be responsible for the vast majority of human infections, becoming interesting targets for vaccine in this study, which were cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins and also conjugated to recombinant adenoviruses, being used in immunization protocols prime/boost in mice. The results obtained showed that the polymorphisms are able to strongly stimulate the immune system, demonstrating that DBP of P. vivax is a promising vaccination target, with the adjuvant Montanide ISA 720 and human adenovirus type 5, promoting the production of high titers of functional antibodies. It was also verified a synergistic action between the two polymorphisms in the maintenance of antibody titers months after mice immunization.