Plasmodium vivax, a major agent of malaria in both temperate and tropical climates, has a limited capacity for infecting humans lacking the Duffy(Fy) blood group antigen as this receptor is critical for erythrocyte in...
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Plasmodium vivax, a major agent of malaria in both temperate and tropical climates, has a limited capacity for infecting humans lacking the Duffy(Fy) blood group antigen as this receptor is critical for erythrocyte invasion. Recent surveys in various endemic regions, however, have reported P. vivax infections in Duffy-negative individuals, suggesting that the parasite may utilize alternative receptor-ligand pairs to complete erythrocyte invasion. Here, we identified and characterized a novel parasite ligand, GPI-anchored micronemal antigen(Pv GAMA), that can bind human erythrocytes regardless of Duffy antigen status. Specific antibodies raised against PvG AMA localize the protein to the parasite microneme, consistent with a role in invasion. These antibodies also inhibited Pv GAMA binding to erythrocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Pv GAMA appears to play a role in a sialic acid-independent, chymotrypsin-sensitive invasion pathway. Thus, Pv GAMA may be an adhesion molecule for invasion of Duffy positive and negative human erythrocytes and is an important P. vivax vaccine candidate.
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