Ex vivo interferon-gamma immune response to thrombospondin-related adhesive protein in coastal Kenyans: longevity and risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection.

Abstract	Thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) of Plasmodium falciparum is currently being tested in human vaccine studies. However, its natural reactivity in the field remains poorly characterized. More than 40% of 217 Kenyan donors responded in an ex vivo interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay to at least one of 14 20mer peptides spanning 42% of the antigen. Reactivity was comparable from early childhood (>1 year of age) to old age, and the maximal precursor frequency of TRAP-specific cells to all 14 peptides was 1 in 4,000. Prospective follow-up for one year indicated that these low-level ex vivo responses to TRAP did not protect against the subsequent development of malaria. Retesting of selected donors after one year showed a complete change in the reactivity pattern, suggesting that malaria-specific ex vivo IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay responses are short lived in naturally exposed donors, even to conserved epitopes. This study provides important information regarding natural reactivity to a key malaria antigen.
Authors	Katie L Flanagan, Tabitha Mwangi, Magdalena Plebanski, Kennedy Odhiambo, Amanda Ross, Eric Sheu, Moses Kortok, Brett Lowe, Kevin Marsh, Adrian V S Hill
Journal	The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (Am J Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 68 Issue 4 Pg. 421-30 (Apr 2003) ISSN: 0002-9637 [Print] United States
PMID	12875291 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References	Malaria Vaccines Peptide Fragments Protozoan Proteins thrombospondin-related adhesive protein, protozoan Interferon-gamma
Topics	Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Amino Acid Sequence Child Child, Preschool Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Female Humans Immunity, Cellular Infant Interferon-gamma (biosynthesis, chemistry) Kenya (epidemiology) Leukocytes, Mononuclear (immunology) Longevity Malaria Vaccines (standards) Malaria, Falciparum (epidemiology, immunology, prevention & control) Male Middle Aged Molecular Sequence Data Peptide Fragments (immunology) Pilot Projects Protozoan Proteins (chemistry, immunology) Risk Factors T-Lymphocytes (immunology)

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