Assessment in mice of a synthetic peptide-based vaccine against the sporozoite stage of the human malaria parasite, P. falciparum.

The anti-P. falciparum sporozoite vaccine consisting of the synthetic peptide, Ac-Cys-(NANP)3, conjugated to the protein tetanus toxoid (TT), [Ac-Cys-(NANP)3]25-TT, is currently undergoing human trials. The purpose of the present study was to assess various immunological parameters of this vaccine in mice, which have practical implications in humans. Two injections of [Ac-Cys-(NANP)3]25-TT adsorbed to Al(OH)3 were required to elicit a high antibody response against both Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 and TT. The vaccine initiated equivalent Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 priming for a secondary IgG response in 1-week-old and adult mice. Immunization of female mice with TT or [Ac-Cys-(NANP)3]23-TT prior to mating resulted in offspring that passively received anti-Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 and/or anti-TT antibody and that had reduced secondary responses to Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 and TT. Tertiary challenge with vaccine could substantially overcome such inhibition. Preimmunization of adult mice with TT resulted in a specific inhibition of the anti-Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 antibody response that disappeared following tertiary challenge with the vaccine. The conjugate initiated an antibody response against Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 and TT in mice of 16 different genotypes; only very low T-cell proliferative responses to (NANP)3 were observed for some of these strains. Mice injected with (NANP)3 coupled to protein demonstrated a secondary response to Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 when challenged with (NANP)3 on a heterologous carrier, indicating that B-cell priming alone may be sufficient for a secondary antibody response. These results demonstrate that the vaccine has favourable and unfavourable characteristics in mice; the potential for both exists in humans.