Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein VK247 repeat region (PvCSP-VK247) (PvCSP-VK247)

The Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein (PvCSP) is the primary surface antigen of the sporozoite stage of the P. vivax parasite, which is a major cause of relapsing malaria (Julien et al., 2021). The VK247 repeat region is a specific antigenic variant characterized by the tandem repeat sequence ANGAGNQPG, distinguishing it from the VK210 variant (Arévalo-Herrera et al., 2011). This region is essential for the parasite's life cycle, facilitating sporozoite migration and the subsequent invasion of human hepatocytes (Kappe et al., 2004). As the first point of contact for the host immune system, the VK247 repeat is a critical target for vaccine-elicited and monoclonal antibodies (Yadava et al., 2007). Antibodies binding to this region neutralize sporozoites by inhibiting their motility and blocking their entry into liver cells, thereby preventing the clinical stage of the disease (Julien et al., 2021). Therapeutic development focuses on multivalent vaccines, such as VMP001, to ensure protection against the diverse strains of P. vivax found globally (Yadava et al., 2007). However, the high degree of allelic polymorphism and geographic variability of the VK247 variant present significant challenges for achieving universal vaccine efficacy (Arévalo-Herrera et al., 2011).

Other names

VK247 repeatANGAGNQPG repeatPvCSP VK247 variantCircumsporozoite protein VK247

Neutralization of sporozoites by blocking hepatocyte invasion and inhibiting parasite motility through antibody binding to the central repeat region.