Antigenic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum and antibody-mediated parasite neutralization

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, causing the most severe form of the disease in humans, is characterized by a broad antigenic diversity between different strains and isolates of the parasite. The antigenic diversity reflects on the one hand polymorphisms in allelic gene products and, on the other hand, antigenic variation as a result of expression of alternative genes in multigene families. Using selected polymorphic regions in two merozoite surface antigens, a method for genotyping P. falciparum parasites has been developed. This has resulted in new information on the clonal multiplicity and dynamics of parasite populations. Observations from in vivo and in vitro studies have identified many potential parasite-neutralizing immune responses and several of the target antigens are being explored as vaccine candidates. Studies of antibody-mediated neutralization of parasites in P. falciparum in vitro cultures, with or without leukocytes as effector cells, have been instrumental in identifying potential target antigens for protective immunity and for elucidation of the effects of immune pressure on the dynamics of parasite populations and their antigenic plasticity.