Characterizing Antibody Responses to Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum Antigens in India Using Genome-Scale Protein Microarrays.

• Main Authors: Swapna Uplekar, Pavitra Nagesh Rao, Lalitha Ramanathapuram, Vikky Awasthi, Kalpana Verma, Patrick Sutton, Syed Zeeshan Ali, Ankita Patel, Sri Lakshmi Priya G, Sangamithra Ravishankaran, Nisha Desai, Nikunj Tandel, Sandhya Choubey, Punam Barla, Deena Kanagaraj, Alex Eapen, Khageswar Pradhan, Ranvir Singh, Aarti Jain, Philip L Felgner, D Huw Davies, Jane M Carlton, Jyoti Das
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
• Series: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Online Access: http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5291533?pdf=render
• ISSN: 1935-2727; 1935-2735

Understanding naturally acquired immune responses to Plasmodium in India is key to improving malaria surveillance and diagnostic tools. Here we describe serological profiling of immune responses at three sites in India by probing protein microarrays consisting of 515 Plasmodium vivax and 500 Plasmodium falciparum proteins with 353 plasma samples. A total of 236 malaria-positive (symptomatic and asymptomatic) plasma samples and 117 malaria-negative samples were collected at three field sites in Raurkela, Nadiad, and Chennai. Indian samples showed significant seroreactivity to 265 P. vivax and 373 P. falciparum antigens, but overall seroreactivity to P. vivax antigens was lower compared to P. falciparum antigens. We identified the most immunogenic antigens of both Plasmodium species that were recognized at all three sites in India, as well as P. falciparum antigens that were associated with asymptomatic malaria. This is the first genome-scale analysis of serological responses to the two major species of malaria parasite in India. The range of immune responses characterized in different endemic settings argues for targeted surveillance approaches tailored to the diverse epidemiology of malaria across the world.