Opinion: antibody-based therapies for malaria

Nat Rev Microbiol. 2005 Nov;3(11):893-9. doi: 10.1038/nrmicro1267.

Abstract

Antibodies are multifunctional glycoproteins that are found in blood and tissue fluids, and can protect against malaria by binding and neutralizing malaria parasites and preparing them for destruction by immune cells. Important technical advances mean that it is now possible to synthesize antibodies against important Plasmodium antigens that could be used for therapeutic purposes. These reagents could be designed to act like a drug and kill parasites directly, or could be used in vaccine strategies to protect individuals from infection. In this article, we discuss the possible therapeutic uses of antibodies in the treatment and prevention of malaria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bispecific / immunology
  • Antibodies, Bispecific / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / metabolism
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology
  • Antimalarials / immunology
  • Antimalarials / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Malaria / immunology*
  • Malaria / therapy*
  • Membrane Proteins / immunology
  • Merozoite Surface Protein 1 / immunology
  • Plasmodium falciparum / immunology
  • Plasmodium malariae / immunology
  • Protein Engineering
  • Protozoan Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bispecific
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Antimalarials
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Merozoite Surface Protein 1
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • apical membrane antigen I, Plasmodium
  • erythrocyte membrane protein 1, Plasmodium falciparum