Apical membrane antigen 1: a malaria vaccine candidate in review

• Published in: Trends in parasitology Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 74 - 84
• Main Authors: Remarque, Edmond J, Faber, Bart W, Kocken, Clemens H.M, Thomas, Alan W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Antigens, Protozoan - chemistry; Antigens, Protozoan - genetics; Antigens, Protozoan - immunology; Antigens, Protozoan - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Trials as Topic; Female; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Malaria; Malaria - immunology; Malaria - mortality; Malaria - parasitology; Malaria - prevention & control; Malaria Vaccines - administration & dosage; Medical sciences; Membrane Proteins - chemistry; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Membrane Proteins - immunology; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Models, Molecular; Molecular Sequence Data; Parasitic diseases; Plasmodium; Plasmodium - classification; Plasmodium - genetics; Plasmodium - immunology; Plasmodium - metabolism; Polymorphism, Genetic; Protozoal diseases; Protozoan Proteins - chemistry; Protozoan Proteins - genetics; Protozoan Proteins - immunology; Protozoan Proteins - metabolism; Rabbits; Infection; Antigen; Protozoal disease; Malaria; Parasite; Vaccine; Parasitosis
• ISSN: 1471-4922; 1471-5007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2007.12.002

Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is a micronemal protein of apicomplexan parasites that appears to be essential during the invasion of host cells. Immune responses to Plasmodium AMA1 can have profound parasite-inhibitory effects, both as measured in vitro and in animal challenge models, suggesting AMA1 as a potential vaccine component. However, AMA1 is polymorphic, probably as a result of immune selection operating on an important target of naturally occurring immunity. The current understanding of AMA1 will be presented, particularly in relation to the vaccine potential of AMA1 and the approaches being taken towards clinical development.