Statens Serum Institut

Other

Dako A/s

Michael Theisen

Peter Andersen

Klaus Gjervig Jensen

Arne Holm

Anja Olsen

Frank Follmann

Gorm Andersen

Robert Leah

Søren Jepsen

S&oslash;ren &Oslash;stergaard

Marianne Jartved Mathiesen

The present invention relates to a method for the production of correctly folded Pfs48/45. This is achieved in thewhen Pfs48/45 or fractions thereof are fused genetically to a glutamate rich protein, e.g. GLURP from

Production of a cysteine rich protein

The present invention is related to antigen fromwhich are recognized by specific antibodies from individuals infected withor which can induce T cells from the same individuals to secrete gamma-interferon. The T cell reactive antigens are present in a whole-cell lysate and have apparent molecular weights of 5-12, 16-20, 25-35 and 58-74 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. The antigens of the invention are believed to be useful in vaccines but also as diagnostic compositions.

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A fusion protein, derived fromGlutamate-rich protein (GLURP) genetically coupled toMerozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3) was produced inas a secreted recombinant GLURP-MSP3 hybrid protein and experiments showed that the GLURP-part of the hybrid increased the overall antibody response. Immunizations with the hybrid protein consistently generated a stronger antibody response against the individual GLURP and MSP3 domains than a mixture of the two recombinant molecules injected at one site or the individual recombinant molecules injected simultaneously at two different sites. The difference was most pronounced for the MSP3-specific antibody response suggesting that T cell epitopes located in the GLURP RO-region provide help for B-cell epitopes in the MSP3 region. Moreover, when the animals were injected with a mixture of GLURP and MSP3, individual mice tended to mount a predominant antibody response against either molecule: in some animals GLURP was immunodominant whereas in other animals MSP3 was the dominant immunogen. Additionally, the hybrid was also more antigenic than the individual recombinant proteins since the ELISA-titer of naturally occurring IgG antibodies, in clinically immune African adults, against the hybrid protein was higher than the titers against the individual recombinant proteins. The hybrid protein was also demonstrated to be a potential protective antigen as mouse anti-GLURP-MSP3 IgG antibodies were able to inhibit parasite-growth in vitro in a monocyte-dependent manner.

Malaria vaccine

A diagnostic method is disclosed which utilizes short C-terminal fragments of sensu lato derived protein OspC. The 4 amino-terminal acids Pro-Lys-Pro (SEQ ID NO: 22) are shown to be essential in immune reactivity between sera from patients suffering from early borreliosis and various OspC derivatives and it is shown that in order to be effective as a diagnostic agent, 5 consecutive amino acid residues long homologue of a fragment identical to the 10 C-terminal amino acids of OspC (SEQ DI NO: 1). Also disclosed are vaccines utilizing the short peptides as well as methods for their preparation.

Osp-C derived peptide fragments

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Frederiksberg, Denmark

Michael Theisen