Anti-merozoite antibodies induce natural killer cell effector function and are associated with immunity against malaria.
prospective_cohort · Level II
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 36753561.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/scitranslmed.abn5993 and PMC identifier 7616656.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are potent immune effectors that can be activated via antibody-mediated Fc receptor engagement. Using multiparameter flow cytometry, we found that NK cells degranulate and release IFN-γ upon stimulation with antibody-opsonized <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> merozoites. Antibody-dependent NK (Ab-NK) activity was largely strain transcending and enhanced invasion inhibition into erythrocytes. Ab-NK was associated with the successful control of parasitemia after experimental malaria challenge in African adults. In an independent cohort study in children, Ab-NK increased with age, was boosted by concurrent <i>P. falciparum</i> infections, and was associated with a lower risk of clinical episodes of malaria. Nine of the 14 vaccine candidates tested induced Ab-NK, including some less well-characterized antigens: P41, P113, MSP11, RHOPH3, and <i>Pf</i>_11363200. These data highlight an important role of Ab-NK activity in immunity against malaria and provide a potential mechanism for evaluating vaccine candidates.
Medical subject headings
- Malaria, Falciparum
- Malaria