Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite and liver-stage antigens

Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite and liver-stage antigens are a group of proteins expressed during the initial, asymptomatic phase of malaria infection in humans. This category includes the Circumsporozoite Protein (CSP), which is the most abundant surface protein on the sporozoite and is essential for parasite motility and hepatocyte invasion (UniProt P08307). Other key antigens include Thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) and Liver-stage antigen 1 (LSA-1), which facilitate cell entry and development within the liver (PubMed: 15567131). These antigens are the primary targets for pre-erythrocytic vaccines, such as RTS,S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M, which aim to induce sterile immunity by preventing the parasite from establishing a blood-stage infection (WHO, 2021; Lancet, 2023). Monoclonal antibodies like CIS43LS are also being developed to provide passive immunization by targeting conserved epitopes on these antigens (NEJM, 2021). Because these proteins are critical for the transition from the mosquito vector to the human host, they represent a high-priority focus for malaria eradication efforts.

Other names

Pre-erythrocytic antigensSporozoite surface antigensLiver-stage specific antigensPf sporozoite and liver-stage antigens

Inhibition of sporozoite invasion into hepatocytes via antibody-mediated neutralization and T-cell-mediated clearance of infected liver cells (WHO, 2021; Lancet, 2023).