1. Plasmodium falciparum VAR2CSA-Specific IgG Subclass Responses Reflect Protection Against Low Birth Weight and Pregnancy-Associated Malaria.
- Author
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Tornyigah B, d'Almeida T, Escriou G, Viwami F, Fievet N, Luty AJF, Massougbodji A, Nielsen MA, Deloron P, and Tuikue Ndam N
- Subjects
- Adult, Antibodies, Protozoan blood, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Humans, Immunoglobulin G blood, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Malaria, Falciparum transmission, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic immunology, Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic parasitology, Pregnancy Outcome, Risk Factors, Young Adult, Antibodies, Protozoan immunology, Antigens, Protozoan immunology, Immunoglobulin G immunology, Malaria, Falciparum immunology, Malaria, Falciparum parasitology, Plasmodium falciparum immunology
- Abstract
Sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum -infected erythrocytes expressing the VAR2CSA antigen in the placenta results in poor pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight and maternal anemia. Antigen-specific antibody-mediated immunity is acquired during successive pregnancies. Thus, evaluating VAR2CSA-specific IgG profiles among pregnant women will increase knowledge on the immunological mechanisms associated with protection, and help in the development of VAR2CSA-based placental malaria vaccines. Using the PAMVAC candidate vaccine antigen, we assessed anti-VAR2CSA IgG subclass responses of a cohort of pregnant Beninese, and analyzed their relationships with pregnancy outcomes. Cytophilic IgG1 and IgG3 responses were the most frequent, with prevalences ranging from 28% (IgG3) up to 50% (IgG1). Elevated levels of VAR2CSA-specific total IgG and cytophilic IgG3 during pregnancy were consistently associated with higher birth weights, whilst high levels of IgG4 were associated with a reduced risk of placental infections. This suggests that protective anti-VAR2CSA IgG responses are coordinated between both cytophilic and non-cytophilic antibodies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Tornyigah, d’Almeida, Escriou, Viwami, Fievet, Luty, Massougbodji, Nielsen, Deloron and Tuikue Ndam.)
- Published
- 2021
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