Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28446190›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2017

Recognition of Plasmodium falciparum mature gametocyte-infected erythrocytes by antibodies of semi-immune adults and malaria-exposed children from Gabon.

Tamirat Gebru, Anthony Ajua, Michael Theisen, Meral Esen, Ulysse Ateba Ngoa, Saadou Issifou, Ayola A Adegnika, Peter G Kremsner, Benjamin Mordmüller, Jana Held

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Cells · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Immune Responses to the Sexual Stages ofFrontiers in immunology · 2019
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 5 countries.

Tamirat GebruInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Anthony AjuaInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Michael TheisenDepartment for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Meral EsenInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Ulysse Ateba NgoaInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Saadou IssifouInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Ayola A AdegnikaInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Peter G KremsnerInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Benjamin MordmüllerInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany.
Jana HeldInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany. janaheld@hotmail.de.
German Center for Infection Research · DECentre de Recherche Médicales de Lambaréné · GAUniversity of Tübingen · DEHaramaya University · ETStatens Serum Institut · DK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTransmission of malaria from man to mosquito depends on the presence of gametocytes, the sexual stage of Plasmodium parasites in the infected host. Naturally acquired antibodies against gametocytes exist and may play a role in controlling transmission by limiting the gametocyte development in the circulation or by interrupting gamete development and fertilization in the mosquito following ingestion. So far, most studies on antibody responses to sexual stage antigens have focused on a subset of gametocyte-surface antigens, even though inhibitory Ab responses to other gametocyte antigens might also play a role in controlling gametocyte density and fertility. Limited information is available on natural antibody response to the surfaces of gametocyte-infected erythrocytes.

methodsAb responses to surface antigens of erythrocytes infected by in vitro differentiated Plasmodium falciparum mature gametocytes were investigated in sera of semi-immune adults and malaria-exposed children. In addition, the effect of immunization with GMZ2, a blood stage malaria vaccine candidate, and the effect of intestinal helminth infection on the development of immunity to gametocytes of P. falciparum was evaluated in malaria-exposed children and adults from Gabon. Serum samples from two Phase I clinical trials conducted in Gabon were analysed by microscopic and flow-cytometric immunofluorescence assay.

resultsAdults had a higher Ab response compared to children. Ab reactivity was significantly higher after fixation and permeabilization of parasitized erythrocytes. Following vaccination with the malaria vaccine candidate GMZ2, anti-gametocyte Ab concentration decreased in adults compared to baseline. Ab response to whole asexual stage antigens had a significant but weak positive correlation to anti-gametocyte Ab responses in adults, but not in children. Children infected with Ascaris lumbricoides had a significantly higher anti-gametocyte Ab response compared to non-infected children.

conclusionThe current data suggest that antigens exposed on the gametocyte-infected red blood cells are recognized by serum antibodies from malaria-exposed children and semi-immune adults. This anti-gametocyte immune response may be influenced by natural exposure and vaccination. Modulation of the natural immune response to gametocytes by co-infecting parasites should be investigated further and may have an important impact on malaria control strategies.

Indexed as

AdultAntibodies, ProtozoanChild, PreschoolErythrocytesFemaleFlow CytometryGabonHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMalaria, FalciparumMalaria VaccinesMalePlasmodium falciparumYoung AdultAntibodies, ProtozoanGMZ2 vaccineMalaria VaccinesAscaris lumbricoidesClinical isolatesGMZ2HelminthsImmune modulationMalariaPlasmodium falciparumTransmission blockingTrichuris trichiura

Identifiers

PMID28446190
PMCPMC5406886
OpenAlexW2609198917

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.