Status : Rejected
| Personal Name | Garrido, Jose Antonio Ma. G. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Sex affects the antibody response to PfMSP-1 Block 2 in BALB/c mice |
| Date Issued | December 2016 |
| Abstract | Plasmodium falciparum is a parasite responsible for the most common and deadly form of malaria in human beings. The factors affecting disease outcome in individuals however are currently unknown, but are believed to involve the host’s immune response against the parasite. In this experiment, the effect of sex on the antibody responses of Balb/c mice to the three allelic variants of P. falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 (PfMSP-1) block 2, namely RO33, K1, and Mad20, was investigated. The three proteins were expressed as thioredoxin-fusion proteins in BL21(DE3) E. coli cells. These proteins were purified using affinity chromatography. Ten (10) μg of each protein were injected into groups of 4-5 Balb/c mice along with an equal volume of complete Freund’s adjuvant for the initial immunization or incomplete Freund’s adjuvant for the two boosters at one week intervals. The same was done for mice immunized with thioredoxin alone which served as a negative control. Blood was collected from each mouse the day before immunization via tail bleeding and finally via cardiac puncture after a 3 week period. The relative levels of the antibody isotypes produced by each mouse in response to the different proteins was measured using ELISA. Analysis showed that there are significant differences in the antibody response between male and female Balb/c mice. Overall K1 elicited a significantly greater IgG2a response in males, Mad20 elicited a greater IgG3 response in females, and RO33 elicited a greater IgG1 response in females and a greater IgG2a response in males. Interestingly, RO33 which was non-immunogenic in females produced a response in males, while MAD20 was non-immunogenic in males but immunogenic in females. All in all, these results indicate that the two sexes respond to these antigens differently which may have implications on vaccine design. However, further studies are required to determine the implications of these differences on the battle against malaria. |
| Degree Course | Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | Plasmodium Falciparum; Immunology; Antibody; Malaria; Murine |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |