IMMUNOGENICITY OF 4 PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM PREERYTHROCYTIC ANTIGENS INAOTUS-LEMURINUS MONKEYS

Aotus lemurinus monkeys were immunized with pools of either lipid-tail ed peptides injected in PBS or peptides in Montanide ISA-51, all deriv ed from four Plasmodium falciparum pre-erythrocytic antigens, namely, LSA1, LSA3, SALSA, and STARP. These formulations were well tolerated. Their immunogenicity was demonstrated by the induction of both B- and T-cell responses to most of the peptides studied (of the 12, 10 induce d antibody production, 9 induced T-cell proliferative responses, and a ll 12 induced gamma interferon secretion). Immune responses proved to be long lasting, since some were still detectable 210 days after immun ization. Of particular importance is the fact that B- and T-cell respo nses elicited in this way by synthetic peptides were specific for nati ve parasite proteins on P. falciparum sporozoites and liver stage para sites.