Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein C-terminal region (PvCSP-C)

The Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein (PvCSP) C-terminal region is a critical domain of the most abundant surface protein on P. vivax sporozoites (UniProt: P08677). This region contains the Type I thrombospondin repeat (TSR) domain, which is essential for the parasite's ability to bind to heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the surface of human hepatocytes (PMID: 29440714). As a primary target for pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccines, the C-terminal region is designed to elicit protective humoral and cellular immune responses that neutralize the parasite before it can establish a liver-stage infection (PMID: 32814554). Clinical candidates like the VMP001 vaccine incorporate parts of this region to induce high-titer antibodies (PMID: 25605800). However, the effectiveness of targeting this region is complicated by the genetic diversity of P. vivax, which includes major variants like VK210 and VK247, potentially leading to strain-specific immunity and escape (PMID: 30103782). Despite these challenges, the C-terminal region remains a focal point for developing long-lasting immunity against vivax malaria.

Other names

PvCSP C-terminusCircumsporozoite protein C-terminal domainPvCSP-CCircumsporozoite surface protein C-terminal region

Induction of neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses that bind to the C-terminal domain to block sporozoite attachment and entry into hepatocytes.