HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSES OF AFRICANS TO CYSTEINE PROTEASE-RELATED ANTIGENS OF PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM

The Plasmodium falciparum serine repeat antigen (SERA) and serine repe at protein homologue (SERPH) contain highly conserved domains that app ear to encode cysteine proteases or related proteins. Humoral immune r esponses against the protease domains of SERA and SERPH were evaluated . Malaria-immune Africans, but not nonimmune controls, demonstrated po tent humoral responses against the protease domains. As the SERA and S ERPH protease domains are likely accessible to circulating antibody, t hese results suggest that humoral responses to the domains may contrib ute to antimalarial immunity.