Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41923094›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2026

A luciferase-based hRBC-NSG mouse model to evaluate anti-CelTOS transmission-blocking antibodies against P. falciparum.

Shulin Xu, Alison E Roth, Richard Thomson-Luque, Nichole Salinas, Samantha Barnes, Courtney Herman, Niraj H Tolia, John H Adams

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Shulin XuCenter of Global Health and Interdisciplinary Disease Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Alison E RothDrug Discovery, Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
Richard Thomson-LuqueCentre for Infectious Diseases-Parasitology, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Nichole SalinasHost‒Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Samantha BarnesCenter of Global Health and Interdisciplinary Disease Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Courtney HermanIOVANCE Biotherapeutics, Inc., Tampa, FL, USA.
Niraj H ToliaHost‒Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
John H AdamsCenter of Global Health and Interdisciplinary Disease Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. ja2@usf.edu.

Funding

Accelerating discovery of an efficacious Plasmodium vivax multivalent multi-stage vaccineU01AI155361 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA · PI ADAMS, JOHN H · 2021 to 2025
$4.8M
Structural Vaccinology and Design of Novel Imunogens for Malaria Vaccine DevelopmentR01AI137162 · NIAID · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI GOLDBERG, DANIEL E. · 2018 to 2022
$3.6M
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI137162NIAID NIH HHS U01 AI155361
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundReliable experimental platforms are essential for evaluating transmission-blocking interventions against Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum). Although the standard membrane feeding assay (SMFA) is widely used to assess transmission-blocking activity, it is performed in vitro and does not fully represent physiological conditions. In this study, we developed and applied a luciferase-based assay using NSG (NOD.Cg-Prkdc^scid Il2rg^tm1Sug/JicTac) mice engrafted with human red blood cells (hRBCs) to establish an hRBC-engrafted NSG (hRBC-NSG) humanized mouse model for evaluating the transmission-blocking activity of anti-CelTOS monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against P. falciparum.

methodsA luciferase expression cassette was integrated into the genome of the P. falciparum KF7 parasite line using the piggyBac transposon system. A stable luciferase-expressing parasite clone, PfKF7G4, was selected based on high luciferase activity and efficient gametocyte production. Following serial adaptation in hRBC-NSG mice, PfKF7G4 parasites produced mature gametocytes capable of infecting An. stephensi mosquitoes through a direct feeding assay (DFA). As part of the direct feeding assay, anti-CelTOS mAbs were administered intravenously prior to mosquito feeding. Oocyst development in mosquitoes was quantified using a luciferase-based mosquito assay on day 8 post feeding. Results were compared with previously reported parallel in vitro transmission-blocking data generated using SMFA (Tang et al. in Nat Commun 15, 2024).

resultshRBC-NSG mice infected with PfKF7G4 parasites reached parasitemia levels of up to 10.58% and successfully produced mature gametocytes, with stage V gametocytemia ranged from 0.07% to 0.18%. These gametocytes were successfully transmitted to mosquitoes and developed into luciferase-expressing oocysts. Administration of anti-CelTOS mAbs significantly reduced oocyst development in mosquitoes compared with control groups, as measured by luciferase activity. Similar inhibitory effects were observed in previously reported in vitro SMFA experiments.

conclusionsThis study establishes a luciferase-based in vivo transmission assay using an hRBC-NSG humanized mouse model for quantitative evaluation of P. falciparum transmission to mosquitoes. The platform enables functional assessment of antibody-mediated transmission-blocking activity under physiologically relevant conditions. Using this system, anti-CelTOS mAbs demonstrated inhibitory effects on parasite transmission. This assay provides a useful tool for evaluating transmission-blocking interventions and may support the development of vaccines and therapeutics aimed at reducing malaria transmission.

Indexed as

Antibodies, MonoclonalAntibodies, ProtozoanMalaria, FalciparumPlasmodium falciparumAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalErythrocytesFemaleHumansLuciferasesMiceAntibodies, MonoclonalAntibodies, ProtozoanLuciferasesCelTOSHumanized mouse modelLuciferase assayPlasmodium falciparumTransmission-blocking antibodies

Identifiers

PMID41923094
PMCPMC13169882

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.