VAR2CSA and protective immunity against pregnancy-associated Plasmodium falciparum malaria
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VAR2CSA and protective immunity against pregnancy-associated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. / Hviid, L; Salanti, A.
In: Parasitology, Vol. 134, No. Pt 13, 2007, p. 1871-6.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - VAR2CSA and protective immunity against pregnancy-associated Plasmodium falciparum malaria
AU - Hviid, L
AU - Salanti, A
N1 - Keywords: Animals; Antigens, Protozoan; Female; Humans; Malaria, Falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - People living in areas with stable transmission of P. falciparum parasites acquire protective immunity to malaria over a number of years and following multiple disease episodes. Immunity acquired this way is mediated by IgG with specificity for parasite-encoded, clonally variant surface antigens (VSA) on the surface of infected erythrocytes (IEs). However, women in endemic areas become susceptible to P. falciparum infection when they become pregnant, particularly for the first time, regardless of previously acquired protective immunity. This conundrum was resolved when it was observed that the selective placental accumulation of IEs that characterizes pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is caused by an immunologically and functionally unique subset of VSA (VSAPAM) that is only expressed by parasites infecting pregnant women, and that protective immunity to PAM is mediated by IgG with specificity for VSAPAM. In this review we summarize the research leading to the identification of the distinctly structured PfEMP1 variant VAR2CSA as the dominant PAM-type VSA and as the clinically most important target of the protective immune response to placental P. falciparum infection.
AB - People living in areas with stable transmission of P. falciparum parasites acquire protective immunity to malaria over a number of years and following multiple disease episodes. Immunity acquired this way is mediated by IgG with specificity for parasite-encoded, clonally variant surface antigens (VSA) on the surface of infected erythrocytes (IEs). However, women in endemic areas become susceptible to P. falciparum infection when they become pregnant, particularly for the first time, regardless of previously acquired protective immunity. This conundrum was resolved when it was observed that the selective placental accumulation of IEs that characterizes pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is caused by an immunologically and functionally unique subset of VSA (VSAPAM) that is only expressed by parasites infecting pregnant women, and that protective immunity to PAM is mediated by IgG with specificity for VSAPAM. In this review we summarize the research leading to the identification of the distinctly structured PfEMP1 variant VAR2CSA as the dominant PAM-type VSA and as the clinically most important target of the protective immune response to placental P. falciparum infection.
U2 - 10.1017/S0031182007000121
DO - 10.1017/S0031182007000121
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 17958922
VL - 134
SP - 1871
EP - 1876
JO - Parasitology
JF - Parasitology
SN - 0031-1820
IS - Pt 13
ER -
ID: 6746427