Article
Characterization of a plant-derived malaria vaccine candidate based on a Plasmodium falciparum sexual-stage fusion protein
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Published: | December 17, 2014 |
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Plants provide a low-cost production platform for vaccines targeting poverty-related diseases such as malaria, although the feasibility of production depends on the functional efficacy, stability, yield and purification of the vaccine. Here we describe the high-level production and functional characterization of a new plant-derived malaria vaccine candidate targeting the sexual stage of Plasmodium falciparum. The fusion protein F0 (Pfs25 and Pfs230_C0) was transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves by agroinfiltration. The protein accumulated to 9% TSP, was thermostable up to 80°C and could be purified to >90% using a simple two step procedure. Analysis of the mouse sera generated by immunization revealed a good immune response against the full length protein F0 and a moderate response against the individual antigens. The immunogenic conformation of the purified F0 protein was indicated by sera reactivity from semi-immune donors. Immunofluorescence assays showed that the total IgG from the mouse sera recognized several P. falciparum development stages specifically, and the sera induced up to 100% transmission-blocking activity. These results underline the potential of plant derived F0 as a novel sexual stage vaccine candidate offering the advantages of high-level accumulation and thermostability.