Coimmunization with Preerythrocytic Antigens alongside Circumsporozoite Protein Can Enhance Sterile Protection against <i>Plasmodium</i> Sporozoite Infection
Vladimir Vigdorovich, Hardik Patel, Alexander Watson, Andrew Raappana, Laura M. Reynolds, William Selman, Suzannah Beeman, Paul T. Edlefsen, Stefan H. I. Kappe, D. Noah Sather
Abstract
The currently approved malaria vaccine targets a single parasite protein (CSP) and results in only partial protection. We tested several additional vaccine targets in combination with CSP to identify those that could enhance protection from infection upon challenge in the mouse malaria model. In identifying several such enhancing vaccine targets, our work indicates that a multiprotein immunization approach may be a promising avenue to achieving higher levels of protection from infection. Our work identified several candidate leads for follow-up in the models relevant for human malaria and provides an experimental framework for efficiently carrying out such screens for other combinations of vaccine targets.