Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prenatal immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 DBL-α domain in Gabon

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In areas where malaria transmission is stable, infants are often born to mothers who had Plasmodium falciparum infections during pregnancy. A significant number become exposed to infected erythrocytes or soluble parasite products with subsequent fetal immune priming or tolerance in utero. We performed ELISA to asses IgG and IgM seropositivity rates against three PfEMP1 DBL-α domains from 42 maternal–cord paired samples obtained at delivery from a hyperendemic area in Gabon. IgG was present in up to 80% of the cord serum samples, while IgM was found in only 20% of the same samples. These levels were not dependent on the parity of the mother or the peripheral and placental infectious status. The presence of IgM against DBL-α domain in cord serum samples suggests that this component is able to cross the placental barrier and mount a fetal immune response.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achidi EA, Salimonu LS (1997) Malaria parasitaemia and immunoglobulin levels in paired maternal–cord sera from south western Nigeria. Afr J Med Med Sci 26:167–170

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Achidi EA, Anchang JK, Minang JT, Ahmadou MJ, Troye-Blomberg M (2005) Studies on Plasmodium falciparum isotypic antibodies and numbers of IL-4 and IFN-gamma secreting cells in paired maternal cord blood from South West Cameroon. Int J Infect Dis 9:159–169

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brustoski K, Kramer M, Moller U, Kremsner PG, Luty AJ (2005) Neonatal and maternal immunological responses to conserved epitopes within the DBL-gamma3 chondroitin sulfate A-binding domain of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1. Infect Immun 73:7988–7995

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chizzolini C, Trottein F, Bernard FX, Kaufmann MH (1991) Isotypic analysis, antigen specificity, and inhibitory function of maternally transmitted Plasmodium falciparum-specific antibodies in Gabonese newborns. Am J Trop Med Hyg 45:57–64

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deloron P, Dubois B, Le Hesran JY, Riche D, Fievet N, Cornet M, Ringwald P, Cot M (1997) Isotypic analysis of maternally transmitted Plasmodium falciparum-specific antibodies in Cameroon, and relationship with risk of P. falciparum infection. Clin Exp Immunol 110:212–218

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Desowitz RS (1988) Prenatal immune priming in malaria: antigen-specific blastogenesis of cord blood lymphocytes from neonates born in a setting of holoendemic malaria. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 82:121–125

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Desowitz RS, Elm J, Alpers MP (1993) Prenatal immune hypersensitization to malaria: Plasmodium falciparum-specific IgE antibody in paired maternal and cord sera from Papua New Guinea. P N G Med J 35:303–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Fievet N, Ringwald P, Bickii J, Dubois B, Maubert B, Le Hesran JY, Cot M, Deloron P (1996) Malaria cellular immune responses in neonates from Cameroon. Parasite Immunol 18:483–490

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fischer PR (1997) Congenital malaria: an African survey. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 36:411–413

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fried M, Muga RO, Misore AO, Duffy PE (1998) Malaria elicits type 1 cytokines in the human placenta: IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha associated with pregnancy outcomes. J Immunol 160:2523–2530

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hassan J, Reen DJ (2000) T-cell function in the human newborn. Immunol Today 21:107–108

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King CL, Malhotra I, Wamachi A, Kioko J, Mungai P, Wahab SA, Koech D, Zimmerman P, Ouma J, Kazura JW (2002) Acquired immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 in the human fetus. J Immunol 168:356–364

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra I, Mungai P, Muchiri E, Ouma J, Sharma S, Kazura JW, King CL (2005) Distinct Th1- and Th2-Type prenatal cytokine responses to Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte invasion ligands. Infect Immun 73:3462–3470

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra I, Mungai P, Muchiri E, Kwiek JJ, Meshnick SR, King CL (2006) Umbilical cord-blood infections with Plasmodium falciparum malaria are acquired antenatally in Kenya. J Infect Dis 194:176–183

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meeusen EN, Bischof RJ, Lee CS (2001) Comparative T-cell responses during pregnancy in large animals and humans. Am J Reprod Immunol 46:169–179

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Metenou S, Suguitan AL Jr, Long C, Leke RG, Taylor DW (2007) Fetal immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum antigens in a malaria-endemic region of Cameroon. J Immunol 178:2770–2777

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oguariri RM, Borrmann S, Klinkert MQ, Kremsner PG, Kun JF (2001) High prevalence of human antibodies to recombinant Duffy binding-like alpha domains of the Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocyte membrane protein 1 in semi-immune adults compared to that in nonimmune children. Infect Immun 69:7603–7609

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasheed FN, Bulmer JN, De Francisco A, Jawla MF, Jakobsen PH, Jepson A, Greenwood BM (1995) Relationships between maternal malaria and malarial immune responses in mothers and neonates. Parasite Immunol 17:1–10

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Redd SC, Wirima JJ, Steketee RW, Breman JG, Heymann DL (1996) Transplacental transmission of Plasmodium falciparum in rural Malawi. Am J Trop Med Hyg 55:57–60

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riley EM, Wagner GE, Akanmori BD, Koram KA (2001) Do maternally acquired antibodies protect infants from malaria infection? Parasite Immunol 23:51–59

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salanti A, Dahlback M, Turner L, Nielsen MA, Barfod L, Magistrado P, Jensen AT, Lavstsen T, Ofori MF, Marsh K, Hviid L, Theander TG (2004) Evidence for the involvement of VAR2CSA in pregnancy-associated malaria. J Exp Med 200:1197–1203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Staalsoe T, Shulman CE, Bulmer JN, Kawuondo K, Marsh K, Hviid L (2004) Variant surface antigen-specific IgG and protection against clinical consequences of pregnancy-associated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Lancet 363:283–289

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xi G, Leke RG, Thuita LW, Zhou A, Leke RJ, Mbu R, Taylor DW (2003) Congenital exposure to Plasmodium falciparum antigens: prevalence and antigenic specificity of in utero-produced antimalarial immunoglobulin M antibodies. Infect Immun 71:1242–1246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zinsou RD, Engongah-Beka T, Richard-Lenoble D, Philippe E, Awassi A, Kombila M (1987) Malaria and pregnancy. Comparative study of Central Africa and Western Africa. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris) 16:485–488

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all the mothers who volunteered to participate in this study and the medical staff at the maternity wards in Lambaréné and Libreville. We would like to thank Dr. Matthias Frank for critical reading of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, Institute for Tropical Medicine, Wilhelmstr. 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany

    Cristina Tena-Tomás, Marielle K. Bouyou-Akotet, Eric Kendjo, Peter G. Kremsner & Jürgen F. J. Kun

  2. Département de Parasitologie, Mycologie et de Médecine Tropicale, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon

    Marielle K. Bouyou-Akotet & Maryvonne Kombila

  3. Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Lambarene, Gabon

    Eric Kendjo & Peter G. Kremsner

Authors
  1. Cristina Tena-Tomás
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marielle K. Bouyou-Akotet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eric Kendjo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maryvonne Kombila
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Peter G. Kremsner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jürgen F. J. Kun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jürgen F. J. Kun.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tena-Tomás, C., Bouyou-Akotet, M.K., Kendjo, E. et al. Prenatal immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 DBL-α domain in Gabon. Parasitol Res 101, 1045–1050 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0585-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0585-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation