Proteins with molecular masses of 25 to 40 kilodaltons elicit optimal protective responses against Plasmodium chabaudi adami infection

Abstract

The presence of the CD4+ T cell has been shown to be crucial for resolution of acute infection in the Plasmodium chabaudi adami murine malaria model. This model is, therefore, suitable for the isolation of malaria antigens that are capable of activating protective T cells. In light of this, we set out to identify P. chabaudi adami molecules that activate protective responses in this model. Denatured P. chabaudi adami proteins were isolated by continuous-flow electrophoresis on the basis of their apparent molecular masses and then sequentially assessed for the ability to protect mice in immunization experiments. We report here that low-molecular-mass P. chabaudi adami polypeptides in the range from 25 to 40 kDa are most effective at immunizing mice against a challenge infection with viable P. chabaudi adami. The method used to obtain these proteins could also be applied to identify molecules that activate protective cell-mediated responses in other infectious disease models.