Neutralization of the infectivity of sporozoites of Plasmodium knowlesi by antibodies to a synthetic peptide.

Antibodies against a synthetic peptide representing the repetitive epitope of the circumsporozoite protein (CS) of Plasmodium knowlesi have properties similar to those of antibodies against the native protein. Either antibody reacts with the synthetic peptide, cross-links the CS protein on the membrane of the parasite giving the CSP reaction, and neutralizes the infectivity of sporozoites. The synthetic peptide and sporozoite extracts were equally effective when used in an immunoradiometric assay as antigens to detect antibodies to CS proteins. It is likely that the corresponding synthetic repeats from the human malaria parasites could be used to measure levels of anti-sporozoite antibodies in endemic areas, or to evaluate the humoral response to anti-sporozoite vaccines. The authors are grateful to Dr. Robert Gwadz, NIH, for supplying Anopheles mosquitoes and P. knowlesi sporozoites used in this study.