Abstract
The inability to acquire protective immunity against Plasmodium parasite infections is a significant
obstacle to malaria control. Previous research has shown that Plasmodium parasites use an active
mechanism to control the host immune response by expressing a molecule called PMIF, which is
similar to the host macrophage migration inhibitory factor. Mutant parasites that lack PMIF have been
shown to inhibit both cellular and humoral immune responses. However, the precise way in which
parasite PMIF inhibits host MIF and host immune responses is not yet fully understood. This project
aims to investigate the complex interplay between host and parasite-derived MIF molecules and their
impact on the acquisition of protective immunity, as well as improving current and future therapeutic
interventions. To achieve this, the following specific aims will be pursued: 1) Understanding the
molecular basis of pro-inflammatory activation of T cell responses by host MIF and PMIF, 2)
Determining the contribution of MIF molecules to the induction of Plasmodium antigen recognition
and recall responses during liver and blood infection, and 3) Examining the impact of MIF functional
polymorphism on the acquisition of sterile immunity against malaria.
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