Preliminary studies on the immunogenicity of a prime-and-trap malaria vaccine in nonhuman primates

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 41; no. 38; pp. 5494 - 5498
• Main Authors: Shears, Melanie J., Watson, Felicia N., Stone, Brad, Cruz Talavera, Irene, Parthiban, Chaitra, Matsubara, Jokichi, KC, Natasha, Kim Lee Sim, B., Hoffman, Stephen L., Murphy, Sean C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 31.08.2023; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Protozoan; Biopsy; Catheters; CD8 antigen; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Circumsporozoite protein; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disease transmission; DNA; Immunization; Immunogenicity; Laboratory animals; Liver; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Macaca mulatta; macaque; Malaria; Malaria Vaccines; Malaria, Falciparum; Mice; Parasites; Peptides; Pilot projects; Plasmodium falciparum; Priming; Protozoan Proteins - genetics; Surgery; vaccine; Vaccines; Vaccines, Attenuated; Vector-borne diseases; Malaria; macaque; vaccine; Macaque; Vaccine
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.067

•Prime-and-trap is a two-step heterologous vaccine strategy developed for malaria.•Prime-and-trap aims to induce CD8+ T cells against liver stage Plasmodium parasites.•Prior data show prime-and-trap is immunogenic and protective in mouse models.•Here we report immunogenicity of a prime-and-trap vaccine in non-human primates. Development of next-generation vaccines against Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is a priority. Many malaria vaccines target the pre-erythrocytic sporozoite (SPZ) and liver stages. These include subunit vaccines based on the Pf circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and attenuated PfSPZ vaccines. However, these strategies require 3-4 doses and have not achieved optimal efficacy against field-transmitted malaria. Prime-and-trap is a recently developed two-step heterologous vaccine strategy that combines priming with DNA encoding CSP followed by a single dose of attenuated SPZ. This strategy aims to induce CD8+ T cells that can eliminate parasites in the liver. Prior data has demonstrated that prime-and-trap with P. yoelii CSP and PySPZ was immunogenic and protective in mice. Here we report preliminary data on the immunogenicity of PfCSP prime and PfSPZ trap vaccine in rhesus macaques. This vaccine induced PfCSP-specific antibodies and T cell responses in all animals. However, response magnitude differed between individuals, suggesting further study is required.