Gene-expression analysis for prediction of RTS,S-induced protection in humans

Abstract

Evaluation of: Vahey MT, Wang Z, Kester KE et al. Expression of genes associated with immunoproteasome processing of major histocompatibility complex peptides is indicative of protection with adjuvanted RTS,S malaria vaccine. J. Infect. Dis. 201(4), 580–589 (2010).

Vaccines have been most successful in combating infectious diseases in mankind and animals. However, we understand little regarding how effective vaccines stimulate robust protective immune responses. One of the major challenges during development of novel vaccines is to prospectively determine vaccine efficacy and to arrive at hypotheses driving rational vaccine development pathways. The RTS,S candidate malaria vaccine has demonstrated efficacy against malaria in a number of Phase IIa and Phase IIb clinical trials. In 2009, a multicenter, multicountry Phase III clinical trial of RTS,S/AS01 began with results anticipated in 2012. The immunologic basis of how this vaccine protects approximately 50% of volunteers from malaria remains uncertain. The paper under evaluation describes a system biology approach to define gene signatures in peripheral blood that may predict protection in Phase IIa trials in a fraction of volunteers.

Keywords::

• clinical trial
• malaria
• peripheral blood
• protection
• RTS,S vaccine
• transcriptome analysis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.