Humanized Mouse Models for Efficacy of Novel P. vivax Pre-erythrocytic Antigens
Abstract
Peer Review Medical Research Program Topic Area: Malaria Currently there is no effective antibody-based vaccine against Plasmodium vivax malaria. Unfortunately, there is an increased resistance to P. vivax anti-malarial drugs and thus there is a need to develop novel vaccines candidates against P. vivax. Concurrently, new preclinical methods that allow efficient evaluation of novel antimalarial interventions before in-human testing are also required to speed up the process of vaccine development. In humans, malaria disease is initiated when mosquitoes inject sporozoites into the skin. Sporozoites travel to the liver and initiate liver stage development. Our hypothesis is that antibodies that target the sporozoite will prevent the sporozoite from reaching the liver and ultimately prevent malaria disease. The research described in this proposal aims at discovering new proteins on the surface of P. vivax sporozoites that may serve as antigens for protective anti-sporozoite vaccination. We will also utilize a novel mouse model that has a human-chimeric liver. This will allows us to test whether antibodies that target the P. vivax sporozoite surface can prevent the passage of the sporozoite to the human-chimeric liver and subsequent liver stage development.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 04, 2016
- Source ID
- W81XWH1510249
Entities
People
- Sebastian A. Mikolajczak
Organizations
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research
- United States Army