Robust antibody and CD8+ T-cell responses induced by P. falciparum CSP adsorbed to cationic liposomal adjuvant CAF09 confer sterilizing immunity against experimental rodent malaria infection

• Main Authors: Diego A. Espinosa, Dennis Christensen, Christian Muñoz, Sanjay Singh, Emily Locke, Peter Andersen, Fidel Zavala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2017-04-01
• Series: npj Vaccines
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-017-0011-y

Malaria: A more effective vaccine A vaccine consisting of parasitic proteins enveloped by fatty molecules provides comprehensive protection against malaria in a rodent model, Previous and current malaria vaccines concentrate on priming antibodies to recognize malarial infection, despite evidence that, by activating ‘killer’ CD8+ T cells, greater protection is conferred against the disease. Fidel Zavala, of the Johns Hopkins University, United States, and an international group of researchers developed their vaccine by encapsulating proteins from the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum in fat-based carriers called liposomes. In past experiments, killer T cells recruited via this vaccine-type have effectively protected against other diseases. In this study, the vaccine induced both CD8+ T cell and antibody responses and provided significant immunity against P. falciparum-instigated malaria. As a highly efficacious vaccine against malaria is not yet available, this research will likely prove invaluable in guiding further studies.