PROTECTIVE PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM HYBRID PROTEINS COMPRISING PARTIAL SEQUENCES OF MALARIA ANTIGENE HRPII AND SERP, THEIR PREPARATION AND USE

摘要

The invention relates to hybrid proteins consisting of partial sequences of the malaria antigens HRPII and SERP. The HRPII sequence has already proved to be protective in the monkey model (EP-A2-0 315 085), use being made in the present invention, just like in the previous attempt at protection - of a C-terminal region of 189 amino acids. SERP was identified with the aid of an antiserum against a protective protein band (EP-A1-0 283 882); the partial sequence used (amino acids (AA) 631-892 or 630-764) contains at least two T-cell epitopes (Roussilhon et al. (1990), Immunol. Letters 25, 149-154). In preferred embodiments, further regions, containing T-cell epitopes, of other P. falciparum proteins such as the merozoite surface antigen I (MSA I or else 195 kd antigen), amino acids from 100 to 300, are incorporated (Crisanti et al. (1988), Science 240, 324-326). A property common to all the hybrid components is that they represent highly conserved peptide sequences. Protection against a malaria infection is generated by inoculation with abovementioned hybrid proteins.