A comparison of transmission-blocking activity with reactivity in a Plasmodium falciparum 48/45-kD molecule-specific competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1995 Jan;52(1):60-5. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1995.52.60.

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 32F1 and 32F3 react with two independent epitopes of a protein doublet with molecular weights of 48 and 45 kilodaltons (kD) expressed on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum (Pfs48/45) macrogametes and zygotes; only 32F3 blocks transmission. These MAbs were used to develop a Pfs48/45-specific competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using 32F1 to capture antigen and labeled 32F3 for quantification and analysis of the contribution of antibodies in human serum to transmission-blocking activity. A comparison analysis was used to determine agreement of competition ELISA titers and transmission-blocking activity as observed in the bioassay in three groups of serum samples: 37 from European travelers with previous exposure to malaria, 56 from gametocyte carriers, and 66 from schoolchildren from a malaria-endemic area in Cameroon. The index of agreement between outcomes of the ELISA and transmission-blocking assay in gametocyte carriers and in travelers was specifically defined as fair-to-moderate; in schoolchildren the agreement was not significant. The combined analysis of all sera showed a significant and fair-to-moderate agreement between the results of the competition ELISA and the transmission-blocking assay, with a relative specificity of 94% (of 105 cases negative in the transmission-blocking assay, 99 were also negative in the competition ELISA) and a relative sensitivity of 44% (of 54 cases positive in the transmission-blocking assay, 24 were also positive in the competition ELISA). This study shows that a positive C48/45-ELISA is indicative for transmission-blocking activity in the mosquito assay, while a negative result does not exclude transmission-blocking activity.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Anopheles
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood*
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Carrier State / immunology*
  • Child
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / standards*
  • Humans
  • Immune Sera / immunology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / immunology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasmodium falciparum / immunology*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Immune Sera