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In an attempt to induce a protective cytotoxic T-cell mediated immunity against sporozoites of Plasmodium yoelii, the gene encoding the P. yoelii circumsporozoite (CS) protein was engineered into three live vectors: vaccinia, attenuated pseudorabies, and attenuated Salmonella typhimurium. Balb/c mice were immunized with 1-4 doses of 10(8) pfu of the vaccinia construct (IP), 3 doses of 10(5), 10(6) or 10(7) pfu of pseudorabies construct (IV), and 3 doses of 10(9) salmonella transformants (orally). In the case of vaccinia and pseudorabies constructs, an excellent immune response was obtained as measured by antibodies to sporozoites. No protection or delay in prepatent period was seen in any of the experimental animals when challenged with 200 (vaccinia, pseudorabies) or 100 (salmonella) sporozoites, although mice immunized with irradiation-attenuated sporozoites were consistently protected against challenge with greater than 10(4) sporozoites. Since other vaccinia, pseudorabies, and salmonella CS constructs have been shown to induce cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against the CS protein, it is likely that CTL against the CS protein were induced during these studies. It is currently unclear if the vaccines did not induce the appropriate CTL or inadequate numbers of CTL, or if CTL against the P. yoelii CS protein are inadequate to protect against sporozoite challenge.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and colloidal gold probes were used to localize circumsporozoite (CS) protein and two unrelated polypeptides in developing oocysts and salivary gland sporozoites of the 17X (NL) strain of Plasmodium yoelii. MAbs NYS1, NYS2, and NYS3 recognized different epitopes of the P. yoelii CS protein and produced similar patterns of immunolabelling on developing oocysts and sporozoites. A small percentage of oocysts contained developing sporoblasts and sporozoites that did not exhibit surface reactivity to MAbs NYS1, NYS2 or NYS3, although internal labelling was associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These sporozoites were still capable of completing development and invading salivary glands where they could be found adjacent to sporozoites with densely labelled surface coats. If these sporozoites are infective, their presence may explain in part the failure of CS vaccines to completely protect immunized animals against challenge. The non-CS antigen recognized by MAbs NYS4 did not become abundant until late in sporogony. Some gold labelling was associated with the surface of budding and mature sporozoites, but the antigen was most abundant within the cytoplasm and micronemes. A second non-CS antigen identified by NYS5 first appeared in 7-day-old oocysts, although labelling was sparse. Small quantities of antigen appeared on the sporoblast membrane, cytoplasmic clefts and ER of oocysts and was associated with micronemes and the surface of budding and mature sporozoites. As the role played by non-CS antigens in the biology of the parasite is not yet known, further characterization of their function is needed before their potential as vaccine candidates can be determined.

Monoclonal antibody NYS4 recognizes a single 140 kDa antigen on the surface of Plasmodium yoelii sporozoites, an antigen which is distinct from the extensively characterized circumsporozoite (CS) protein. To more thoroughly characterize this additional surface component, a genomic expression library was screened with NYS4 and an immunoreactive clone (M4) was obtained which expressed part of the antigen gene. The deduced amino acid sequence of the M4 peptide included two unique repetitive sequences of amino acids and a conserved sequence motif which is found in several proteins including the CS protein (region II). The cloned DNA hybridized to a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplified sporozoite mRNA demonstrating the sporozoite-stage expression of this gene. A synthetic peptide of one of the repeats, (Asn-Pro-Asn-Glu-Pro-Ser), was recognized by NYS4 and mice immunized with (Asn-Pro-Asn-Glu-Pro-Ser)3 conjugated to KLH (keyhole limpet haemocyanin) produced high levels of antibodies that reacted with the surface of sporozoites and specifically to the 140 kDa antigen. Thus, at least two different proteins are on the surface of the P. yoelii sporozoite indicating that the immunoreactive exterior of the infective stage of malaria parasites is more antigenically complex than previously thought.

We have evaluated the in vitro biological activities of antibodies directed against sporozoites and compared them with their capacity to protect against challenge with both human and rodent malaria. The anti-Plasmodium falciparum antibodies evaluated with the test included monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) NFS1 and NFS2 as well as polyclonal antibodies contained in human hyperimmune sera directed against sporozoites of P. falciparum. The inhibitory effect of these antibodies was dependent on their concentration. However, total inhibition was not observed except occasionally with highly concentrated MAbs (10-100 micrograms/ml). Strong but also incomplete inhibition was observed with sera from humans living in hyperendemic areas. In the P. yoelii rodent system, we tested sera from mice immunized with subunit vaccines. None of these mice were protected in vivo against challenge with 40-200 sporozoites. In vitro only a sub-total inhibition was achieved (maximum 91% at 1:10 serum dilution). In contrast, we tested sera from mice that received NYS1, an IgG3 MAb, in passive transfer and were protected against challenge with 5000 sporozoites. At 1:10 dilution, 100% inhibition was achieved in vitro while IFA titres from these mice were similar to those of vaccinated mice. These data show a close correlation between in vivo and in vitro findings and thus suggest that the inhibition of liver-stage development assay (ILSDA) appears appropriate to evaluate the potential of antibodies.

Three subunit vaccines based on the major repeat, (QGPGAP)n, and flanking regions of the Plasmodium yoelii circumsporozoite protein were designed, produced, and tested. All were immunogenic, but none gave consistent protection against a 40-200 sporozoite challenge. To demonstrate that antibodies to P. yoelii CS protein could provide protection we established a passive transfer model. Passive transfer of NYS1, an IgG3 MAb against the P. yoelii CS protein, protected 100% of mice against challenge with 5000 P. yoelii sporozoites. Binding of NYS1 to sporozoites was inhibited by incubation with (QGPGAP)2, indicating that the epitope on sporozoites recognized by this MAb was included within this peptide. The levels of antibodies to (QGPGAP)2 by ELISA, and to sporozoites by IFAT and CS precipitation reaction were similar in sera from mice that received NYS1 in passive transfer and were protected against challenge with 5000 sporozoites, and from mice that had been immunized with subunit vaccines containing QGPGAP but were not protected against challenge with 40-200 sporozoites. To determine if antibody avidity, not the absolute concentration, could explain the striking differences in protection, we established a thiocyanate elution assay. The results suggest that NYS1, the protective MAb, has a lower avidity for (QGPGAP)2 and for sporozoites than do the vaccine-induced antibodies. The data clearly demonstrate that antibodies to the CS protein can protect against intense sporozoite infection. Improved understanding of the differences between protective MAbs and non-protective polyclonal antibodies will be important in the further development of malaria vaccines.

When mice are immunized with radiation-attenuated sporozoites they are solidly protected against sporozoite challenge by an immune response that has been shown to require CD8+ lymphocytes in several strains of mice. The target of this CD8+ T-cell-dependent immunity has not been established. Immune BALB/c mice were shown to develop malaria-specific, CD8+ T-cell-dependent inflammatory infiltrates in their livers after challenge with Plasmodium berghei sporozoites. Spleen cells from immune BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice eliminated hepatocytes infected with the liver stage of P. berghei in vitro. The activity against infected hepatocytes is not inhibited by antibodies to interferon-gamma and is not present in culture supernatants. It is genetically restricted, an indication that malaria antigens on the hepatocyte surface are recognized by immune T-effector cells. Further subunit pre-erythrocytic stage malaria vaccine development will require identification of the antigens recognized by these T cells and a method of immunization that induces such immunity.