New Delhi: A team of scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has made significant strides in the fight against malaria by developing a potential new vaccine. The research, published in the iScience journal by Cell Press, highlights a novel approach that targets a protein called Prohibitin in the malaria parasite.
Malaria, a disease transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, continues to be a major global health challenge, particularly in India. Despite various control measures, the World Health Organization’s 2022 report indicated 249 million cases and 60,800 deaths worldwide.
The Challenge of Malaria:
The primary obstacles in combating malaria include the parasite’s evolving resistance to anti-malarial drugs and the absence of an effective vaccine. The breakthrough research from JNU, led by Professors Shailja Singh and Anand Ranganathan at the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, proposes a new vaccine strategy by identifying a critical interaction between the parasite and host proteins.
Key Research Findings:
The study discovered a novel receptor-ligand pair, PHB2-Hsp70A1A, which facilitates the malaria parasite’s infection process in human hosts. The parasite protein PHB2, found on the merozoite surface, interacts with the heat-shock protein Hsp70A1A on red blood cells. Disrupting this interaction with antibodies halted parasite growth completely.
Professor Shailja Singh explained the significance: “In our study, we identified a novel PHB2-Hsp70A1A receptor-ligand pair that helps the parasite gain infection inside the human host. The parasite protein PHB2 is therefore a potent vaccine candidate.”
Prohibitins, the family of proteins to which PHB2 belongs, are crucial in various cellular functions, including mitochondrial activity and cell cycle regulation.
Implications for Vaccine Development:
The presence of antibodies against PfPHB2 in patients from the malaria-endemic region of Tripura suggests a promising direction for therapeutic development. Manisha Marothia, the study’s first author and a Ph.D. student, noted that this finding is a significant turning point.
Professors Anand Ranganathan and Shailja Singh reiterated their commitment to malaria eradication, emphasizing the importance of ongoing research: “As scientists, our aspiration towards malaria elimination has never stopped and never will.”
Future Directions:
The research team’s next steps involve validating their findings using mouse models. They previously identified a novel approach to combat malaria by targeting host lipids with an anti-tumor drug, highlighting the parasite’s reliance on specific lipid molecules for its growth.
Conclusion:
This groundbreaking research from JNU represents a hopeful advancement in the fight against malaria, with the potential to develop a highly effective vaccine. Despite the setbacks caused by the Covid pandemic, the team’s dedication to malaria research remains unwavering, bringing us closer to eliminating this deadly disease.
