CD8+ T-cell mediated anti-malaria protection induced by malaria vaccines; assessment of hepatic CD8+ T cells by SCBC assay

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2017 Jul 3;13(7):1625-1629. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2017.1304333.

Abstract

Malaria is a severe infectious disease with relatively high mortality, thus having been a scourge of humanity. There are a few candidate malaria vaccines that have shown a protective efficacy in humans against malaria. One of the candidate human malaria vaccines, which is based on human malaria sporozoites and called PfSPZ Vaccine, has been shown to protect a significant proportion of vaccine recipients from getting malaria. PfSPZ Vaccine elicits a potent response of hepatic CD8+ T cells that are specific for malaria antigens in non-human primates. To further characterize hepatic CD8+ T cells induced by the sporozoite-based malaria vaccine in a mouse model, we have used a cutting-edge Single-cell Barcode (SCBC) assay, a recently emerged approach/method for investigating the nature of T-cells responses during infection or cancer. Using the SCBC technology, we have identified a population of hepatic CD8+ T cells that are polyfunctional at a single cell level only in a group of vaccinated mice upon malaria challenge. The cytokines/chemokines secreted by these polyfunctional CD8+ T-cell subsets include MIP-1α, RANTES, IFN-γ, and/or IL-17A, which have shown to be associated with protective T-cell responses against certain pathogens. Therefore, a successful induction of such polyfunctional hepatic CD8+ T cells may be a key to the development of effective human malaria vaccine. In addition, the SCBC technology could provide a new level of diagnostic that will allow for a more accurate determination of vaccine efficacy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cytological Techniques / methods
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Immunity, Cellular*
  • Liver / immunology*
  • Malaria / prevention & control*
  • Malaria Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Malaria Vaccines / immunology*
  • Mice

Substances

  • Malaria Vaccines