SYDNEY, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) — Australian researchers have visualized a key protein complex in the malaria parasite, revealing a new vaccine target to block disease transmission.
Using advanced cryo-electron microscopy, the team led by the Melbourne-based Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) captured high-resolution images of the Pfs230-Pfs48/45 protein complex essential for the fertilization of malaria parasites inside mosquitoes, a WEHI statement said on Wednesday.
The discovery enabled the development of a promising mRNA vaccine candidate that blocks malaria parasite reproduction in mosquitoes, preventing transmission to humans, it said.
The mRNA vaccine candidate triggered high levels of antibodies that recognized the parasite and blocked transmission in mosquitoes by up to 99.7 percent in preclinical tests, according to the study published in Science.
Malaria parasites are common in humans, but only a few fertilize inside mosquitoes. Targeting this bottleneck stage with transmission-blocking vaccines can greatly reduce the spread of malaria, one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, the researchers said.
“The success of the malaria vaccine program illustrates the versatility of mRNA technology, which has many applications beyond the COVID vaccines,” said Colin Pouton from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, which co-developed the vaccine candidate.
The team plans to combine the mRNA transmission-blocking vaccine with vaccines targeting the parasite’s blood and liver stages in humans to build a comprehensive defense aimed at dramatically reducing malaria and moving toward elimination. ■