Optimisation of Production of Immunogenic Malaria Surface Antigens in Plants

Vaccines against malaria could serve a useful purpose in malaria control, prevention and eradication efforts. P. falciparum merozoite surface proteins (MSP): MSP119, MSP4 and MSP5 are promising targets to establish a protective immune response against malaria. Plant-based expression system presents potential as a cost-effective, scalable and safe production platform. This study provides evidence of the feasibility of plants to produce immunogenic P. falciparum MSP119, MSP4, MSP5. The demonstration of the immunogenicity of plant-made antigens and ability of the induced antibodies to inhibit parasite growth in vitro opens the door for a cheap deployable vaccine based on these proteins.