Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024530 (malaria)
 44,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Recently we have shown that two hybrid proteins expressed in Escherichia coli confer protective immunity to Aotus monkeys against an experimental Plasmodium falciparum infection (Knapp et al., 1992). Both hybrid proteins carry a sequence containing amino acids 631 to 764 of the serine stretch protein SERP (Knapp et al., 1989b). We have studied the diversity of this SERP region in field isolates of P. falciparum. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood of six donors from different endemic areas of Brazil and West Africa. The SERP region encoding amino acids 630 to 781 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. Only conserved amino acid substitutions in maximally two positions of the analyzed SERP fragment could be detected which supports the suitability of this SERP region as a component of an anti-blood stage malaria vaccine.
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PMID:A recombinant hybrid protein as antigen for an anti-blood stage malaria vaccine: a study on the conservation of a protective component. 134 88

Asexual blood forms of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, synthesize a major glycosylated 195 kDa protein that has been considered for the development of a vaccine. beta-Elimination-borohydride reduction of the 195 kDa glycoprotein and its 16 kDa processed product after metabolic labeling of their carbohydrates, showed the presence of derived, labeled glucosaminitol and alanine. This suggests that the 195 and 16 kDa glycoproteins contain distinct O-glycosyl linkages and that N-acetylglucosamine and serine residues are involved in the attachment of carbohydrate moieties to the protein core. Endo-O-glycanase treatment of total glycoproteins shows that O-glycosidycally-linked sugars represent a major carbohydrate moiety in P. falciparum glycoproteins.
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PMID:Plasmodium falciparum synthesizes O-glycosylated glycoproteins containing O-linked N-acetylglucosamine. 162 79

We describe the vaccination of Panamanian monkeys (Aotus sp.) with two recombinant blood stage antigens that each contain a portion of the N-terminal region of the SERA (serine repeat antigen) protein of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We immunized with either a 262-amino-acid SERA fragment (SERA I) that contains amino acids 24 to 285 of the 989-amino-acid protein or a 483-amino-acid SERA fragment (SERA N) that contains amino acids 24 to 506 as part of a fusion protein with human gamma interferon. The recombinant proteins were shown to stimulate protective immunity when administered with complete and incomplete Freund adjuvant. Four of six immunized monkeys challenged by intravenous inoculation with blood stage P. falciparum developed parasitemias that were reduced by at least 1,000-fold. Two of six immunized monkeys developed parasitemias which were comparable to the lowest parasitemia in one of four controls and were 50- to 1,000-fold lower than in the other three controls.
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PMID:Protective immunity induced in Aotus monkeys by recombinant SERA proteins of Plasmodium falciparum. 190 Aug 9

Based on investigations on several blood stage antigens from Plasmodium falciparum we have expressed a hybrid protein in E. coli containing 262 amino acids of the serine-stretch protein SERP and 189 amino acids of the histidine alanine rich protein HRPII. Antibodies raised against the hybrid protein by immunization of rabbits and Aotus monkeys react with both corresponding schizont polypeptides. Two Aotus monkeys immunized with the SERP/HRPII hybrid protein showed only low parasitemias after challenge infection with P. falciparum, compared to the control group. The result suggests that hybrid proteins of this type may be the basis for the development of a malaria vaccine.
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PMID:A recombinant hybrid protein as antigen for an anti-blood stage malaria vaccine. 204 32

We have expressed defined regions of the serine-repeat antigen (SERA) of the Honduras-1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Amino-terminal domains of the natural SERA protein have been shown previously to be targets for parasite-inhibitory murine monoclonal antibodies. Two recombinant SERA antigens were selected for purification and immunological analysis. The first (SERA 1), corresponding to amino acids 24-285 of the natural SERA precursor, was expressed by the ubiquitin fusion method. This allowed for in vivo cleavage by endogenous yeast ubiquitin hydrolase, and subsequent isolation of the mature polypeptide. The second, larger protein (SERA N), encompassing amino acids 24-506, was expressed at only low levels using this system, but could be isolated in high yields when fused to human gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN). Each purified protein was used to immunize mice with either Freund's adjuvant or a muramyl tripeptide adjuvant that has been used in humans. Sera from immunized mice were shown to be capable of in vitro inhibition of invasion of erythrocytes by the Honduras-1 strain of P. falciparum. The results suggest that a recombinant SERA antigen may be an effective component of a candidate malaria vaccine.
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PMID:Immunogenicity of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum SERA proteins in rodents. 205 35

Selection of the rodent malaria Plasmodium chabaudi with low levels of the antifolate drug pyrimethamine has previously been shown by us to result in duplication of the dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) gene by a duplication of chromosome 7 and subsequent rearrangements. We have selected this resultant parasite line with large doses of pyrimethamine and analysed the DHFR-TS gene and chromosomes for any changes. Increased drug pressure has resulted in reappearance of a chromosome with the same structure as chromosome 7 from DS the parent line. Sequencing of the DHFR gene from each of the chromosomes has identified a single point mutation that results in a serine to asparagine change at position 106. This is the equivalent mutation that has been identified as the key residue in the mechanism of resistance to pyrimethamine in Plasmodium falciparum. There is no apparent increase in transcription of the DHFR-TS gene and the large increase in resistance is most likely a result of the mutation in the DHFR gene.
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PMID:Chromosomal rearrangements and point mutations in the DHFR-TS gene of Plasmodium chabaudi under antifolate selection. 223 98

When malaria schizont-infected erythrocytes are cultured with immune serum, antibodies prevent dispersal of merozoites, resulting in the formation of immune clusters of merozoites (ICM) and inhibition of parasite growth. Antigens recognized by these antibodies were identified by probing two dimensional immunoblots of Plasmodium falciparum antigens with antibodies dissociated from immune complexes present at the surface of merozoites in ICM. Total immune serum recognized 88 of the 135 protein spots detected by colloidal gold staining, but antibodies dissociated from immune complexes recognized only 15 protein spots attributable to no more than eight distinct antigens. Antigens recognized by antibodies that inhibit merozoite dispersal include the precursor to the major merozoite surface antigens (gp195), a 126-kDa serine-repeat antigen (SERA), the 130-kDa protein that appears to bind to glycophorin (GBP130), and the approx. 45-kDa merozoite surface antigen. One other antigen (230/215-kDa doublet) was identified by using antibodies affinity purified from recombinant expression proteins. The identities of the other three antigens (150 kDa, 127 kDa and less than 30 kDa) were not determined. This approach provides a strategy for identifying epitopes accessible at the merozoite surface which may be important components of a multivalent vaccine against blood stages of P. falciparum.
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PMID:Specificities of antibodies that inhibit merozoite dispersal from malaria-infected erythrocytes. 250 9

In a study of connective tissue and infectious disease sera, we have demonstrated IgM and IgG anti-cardiolipin activity, in a solid phase radioimmunoassay, in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, syphilis and in acute malaria caused by four different species of Plasmodium. The highest values were noted in SLE (IgM anti-cardiolipin P less than 0.005, IgG anti-cardiolipin P less than 0.01), but there was no correlation with anti-dsDNA, rheumatoid factor or VDRL titres in any disease group. Anti-cardiolipin binding was significantly associated with the lupus anticoagulant, thrombocytopenia, spontaneous abortions and thromboses in the SLE patients. Ten SLE sera from this thrombotic subset and 10 syphilitic sera with similar anti-cardiolipin activity, were tested against four phospholipid antigens and showed significantly different anti-phosphatidyl ethanolamine/anti-phosphatidyl serine binding ratios (P less than 0.001). These differences in phospholipid epitope specificity could explain the specificity of the VDRL antigen in syphilis serology, and we discuss a putative role for anti-phosphatidyl serine in the thrombotic diathesis of SLE.
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PMID:Anti-phospholipid antibodies in syphilis and a thrombotic subset of SLE: distinct profiles of epitope specificity. 257 56

We report the isolation of cDNA clones for a Plasmodium falciparum gene that encodes the complete amino acid sequence of a previously identified exported blood stage antigen. The Mr of this antigen protein had been determined by sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, by different workers, to be 113,000, 126,000, and 140,000. We show, by cDNA nucleotide sequence analysis, that this antigen gene encodes a 989 amino acid protein (111 kDa) that contains a potential signal peptide, but not a membrane anchor domain. In the FCR3 strain the serine content of the protein was 11%, of which 57% of the serine residues were localized within a 201 amino acid sequence that included 35 consecutive serine residues. The protein also contained three possible N-linked glycosylation sites and numerous possible O-linked glycosylation sites. The mRNA was abundant during late trophozoite-schizont parasite stages. We propose to identity this antigen, which had been called p126, by the acronym SERA, serine-repeat antigen, based on its complete structure. The usefulness of the cloned cDNA as a source of a possible malaria vaccine is considered in view of the previously demonstrated ability of the antigen to induce parasite-inhibitory antibodies and a protective immune response in Saimiri monkeys.
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PMID:Amino acid sequence of the serine-repeat antigen (SERA) of Plasmodium falciparum determined from cloned cDNA. 284 41

We have identified and characterized three stage-specific proteinases of Plasmodium falciparum that are active at neutral pH. We analyzed ring-, trophozoite-, schizont-, and merozoite-stage parasites by gelatin substrate PAGE and characterized the identified proteinases with class-specific proteinase inhibitors. No proteinase activity was detected with rings. Trophozoites had a 28 kD proteinase that was inhibited by inhibitors of cysteine proteinases. Mature schizonts had a 35-40 kD proteinase that also was inhibited by cysteine proteinase inhibitors. Merozoite fractions had a 75 kD proteinase that was inhibited by serine proteinase inhibitors. The stage-specific activity of these proteinases and the correlation between the effects of proteinase inhibitors on the isolated enzymes with the effects of the inhibitors on whole parasites suggest potential critical functions for these proteinases in the life cycle of malaria parasites.
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PMID:Identification of three stage-specific proteinases of Plasmodium falciparum. 330 63


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