Study uncovers conserved malaria CD8+ T-cell antigens via immunopeptidomics

Researchers reported that immunopeptidomics of Plasmodium-infected reticulocytes identified 453 HLA-I-bound peptides, including conserved antigens that provoked CD8+ T-cell responses in humans, non-human primates and rodents. The study, published in Nature, described how the peptide repertoire was derived from Plasmodium vivax-infected cells and analyzed across multiple parasite species and life stages. Among the identified peptides, 75 were conserved across species and were shown to activate CD8+ T cells in experimental assays.

These immune responses were observed not only in human blood samples but also in primate and rodent models, suggesting cross-species relevance. The authors concluded that the conserved antigens represent promising targets for next-generation malaria vaccines.