Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) (PvDBP)

The Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) is a key parasite ligand essential for the invasion of human red blood cells by the malaria parasite P. vivax. It is stored in apical organelles called micronemes and is released during the invasion process to bind its cognate host receptor, the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC). This binding event is a critical step in the formation of a tight junction between the merozoite and the erythrocyte, allowing the parasite to enter the cell. Given that Duffy-negative individuals are naturally resistant to vivax malaria, PvDBP has become a leading candidate for the development of blood-stage vaccines. Current therapeutic efforts focus on inducing antibodies that target the cysteine-rich Region II (PvDBPII) to block the interaction with DARC and inhibit parasite growth. However, a major challenge in targeting PvDBP is its high level of allelic polymorphism, which can result in strain-specific immune responses and potential evasion of vaccine-induced protection. Additionally, recent reports of P. vivax infections in Duffy-negative populations suggest the existence of alternative invasion pathways that may complicate the efficacy of DBP-targeted therapies.

Other names

Duffy binding proteinErythrocyte-binding proteinPvDBP1PvDBPIIDuffy binding-like protein

Inhibition of the interaction between the parasite ligand PvDBP and the host receptor DARC, thereby preventing erythrocyte invasion and subsequent blood-stage replication.