TY - JOUR

T1 - IgG and IgM responses to the Plasmodium falciparum asexual stage antigens reflect respectively protection against malaria during pregnancy and infanthood

AU - Gbaguidi, Mahugnon L Erasme

AU - Adamou, Rafiou

AU - Edslev, Sofie

AU - Domingo, Nadia D

AU - Dechavanne, Celia

AU - Massougbodji, Achille

AU - Garcia, André

AU - Theisen, Michael

AU - Milet, Jacqueline

AU - Donadi, Eduardo A

AU - Courtin, David

AU - Hansen, Anita

N1 - © 2024. The Author(s).

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a public health issue mostly seen in tropical countries. Until now, there is no effective malaria vaccine against antigens specific to the blood-stage of P. falciparum infection. Because the pathogenesis of malarial disease results from blood-stage infection, it is essential to identify the most promising blood-stage vaccine candidate antigens under natural exposure to malaria infection.METHODS: A cohort of 400 pregnant women and their infants was implemented in South Benin. An active and passive protocol of malaria surveillance was established during pregnancy and infancy to precisely ascertain malaria infections during the follow-up. Twenty-eight antibody (Ab) responses specific to seven malaria candidate vaccine antigens were repeatedly quantified during pregnancy (3 time points) and infancy (6 time points) in order to study the Ab kinetics and their protective role. Abs were quantified by ELISA and logistic, linear and cox-proportional hazard model were performed to analyse the associations between Ab responses and protection against malaria in mothers and infants, taking into account socio-economic factors and for infants an environmental risk of exposure.RESULTS: The levels of IgM against MSP1, MSP2 and MSP3 showed an early protective response against the onset of symptomatic malaria infections starting from the 18th month of life, whereas no association was found for IgG responses during infancy. In women, some IgG responses tend to be associated with a protection against malaria risk along pregnancy and at delivery, among them IgG3 against GLURP-R0 and IgG2 against MSP1.CONCLUSION: The main finding suggests that IgM should be considered in vaccine designs during infanthood. Investigation of the functional role played by IgM in malaria protection needs further attention.

AB - BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a public health issue mostly seen in tropical countries. Until now, there is no effective malaria vaccine against antigens specific to the blood-stage of P. falciparum infection. Because the pathogenesis of malarial disease results from blood-stage infection, it is essential to identify the most promising blood-stage vaccine candidate antigens under natural exposure to malaria infection.METHODS: A cohort of 400 pregnant women and their infants was implemented in South Benin. An active and passive protocol of malaria surveillance was established during pregnancy and infancy to precisely ascertain malaria infections during the follow-up. Twenty-eight antibody (Ab) responses specific to seven malaria candidate vaccine antigens were repeatedly quantified during pregnancy (3 time points) and infancy (6 time points) in order to study the Ab kinetics and their protective role. Abs were quantified by ELISA and logistic, linear and cox-proportional hazard model were performed to analyse the associations between Ab responses and protection against malaria in mothers and infants, taking into account socio-economic factors and for infants an environmental risk of exposure.RESULTS: The levels of IgM against MSP1, MSP2 and MSP3 showed an early protective response against the onset of symptomatic malaria infections starting from the 18th month of life, whereas no association was found for IgG responses during infancy. In women, some IgG responses tend to be associated with a protection against malaria risk along pregnancy and at delivery, among them IgG3 against GLURP-R0 and IgG2 against MSP1.CONCLUSION: The main finding suggests that IgM should be considered in vaccine designs during infanthood. Investigation of the functional role played by IgM in malaria protection needs further attention.

KW - Humans

KW - Female

KW - Plasmodium falciparum/immunology

KW - Malaria, Falciparum/prevention & control

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Infant

KW - Immunoglobulin M/blood

KW - Immunoglobulin G/blood

KW - Antibodies, Protozoan/blood

KW - Benin

KW - Antigens, Protozoan/immunology

KW - Adult

KW - Young Adult

KW - Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic/prevention & control

KW - Cohort Studies

U2 - 10.1186/s12936-024-04970-7

DO - 10.1186/s12936-024-04970-7

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38764069

VL - 23

JO - Malaria Journal

JF - Malaria Journal

SN - 1475-2875

IS - 1

M1 - 154

ER -