The apical membrane antigen (AMA-1) family of malaria merozoite proteins is characterised by a high degree of inter-species conservation. Evidence that the protein (PK66/AMA-1) from the simian parasite Plasmodium knowlesi was protective in rhesus monkeys suggested that the 83kDa P. falciparum equivalent (PF83/AMA-1) should be investigated for protective effects in humans. Here we briefly review pertinent comparative data, and describe the use of an eukaryotic full length recombinant PF83/AMA-1 molecule to develop a sensitive ELISA for the determination of serological responses in endemic populations. The assay has revealed surprisingly high levels of humoral response to this quantitatively minor antigen. We also show that PK66/AMA-1 inhibitory mAb's are active against merozoites subsequent to release from schizont-infected red cells, further implicating AMA-1 molecules in red cell invasion.

Nove amostras de Plasmodium falciparum foram coletadas de migrantes infectados no Estado de Rondônia. Estas amostras foram mantidas em cultivo para caracterização por tipificação enzimática em acetato de celulose, sensibilidade á cloroquina, amodiaquina, mefloquina e quinino e análise da diversidade antigê-nica através de anticorpos monoclonais específicos. Os resultados obtidos mostraram variação entre todas as amostras estudadas: encontrou-se resistência crescente à cloroquina, resistência intermediária à amodiaquina e quinino e sensibilidade a baixos níveis de mefloquina; apenas dois isolados mostraram sensibilidade a todas as drogas. A tipificação enzimática mostrou presença de parasitas GPI 1 e 2 e ADA 1 e 2, enquanto que para PEP e LDH todas as amostras foram do tipo 1. Sorotipagem com anticorpos monoclonais PSA mostrou presença de três sorotipos diferentes (II, III e IV). Estes resultados mostraram: a) variação entre as amostras para os marcadores analisados; b) nesta região, para o pequeno número de amostras analisadas, não foram observadas diferenças significativas ou novos tipos de parasitas.

Nine samples of Plasmodium falciparum were collected from migrant workers who were infected in the State of Rondônia, Brazil. These samples were maintained in culture for characterization by enzyme typing using acetate cellulose electrophoresis, drug susceptibility to chlo-roquine, amodiaquine, mefloquine and quinine and antigenic diversity analysis using strain specific monoclonal antibodies. The results obtained have confirmed major variation among all samples studied: it was found consistent resistance to chloroquine moderated resistance to amodiaquine and quinine and susceptibility to low levels of mefloquine; only two isolates have shown susceptibility to all drugs in the in vitra assays. Enzyme typing showed presence of both GPI 1 and 2 and ADA 1 and 2 parasites, while for PEP and LDH all samples were type 1. Se-rotyping with PSA monoclonal antibodies showed presence of three different serotypes (II, III and IV). These results confirm: a) variation among samples for markers analysed; b) in this area and for the small number of samples studied, no significant differences or new types of parasites were seen.