Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte surface protein Pfs230 (Pfs230)

Plasmodium falciparum Pfs230 is a large, 230 kDa surface protein expressed during the sexual stages of the malaria parasite's life cycle. It is a member of the 6-Cys protein family and is localized to the surface of gametocytes and gametes. Pfs230 is essential for the fertilization of gametes within the mosquito midgut, where it facilitates the transition from gametes to zygotes and subsequently to ookinetes. Because it is exposed to the host immune system and critical for transmission, it is a leading candidate for transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs). These vaccines work by inducing antibodies in humans that, when ingested by a mosquito during a blood meal, interfere with the parasite's development, thereby preventing the mosquito from becoming infectious. Clinical development often utilizes the first domain (D1) of the protein, frequently conjugated to carrier proteins to improve the immune response.

Other names

Pfs2306-Cys protein Pfs230Gametocyte surface protein Pfs230Sexual stage antigen Pfs230

Induction of transmission-blocking antibodies that bind to the gamete surface, preventing fertilization and subsequent development into ookinetes in the mosquito midgut.