{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]],"date-time":"2026-07-03T02:06:47Z","timestamp":1783044407818,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,30]],"date-time":"2025-05-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1748563200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Belgian university cooperation agency, Acad\u00e9mie de Recherche et de l\u2019Enseignement Sup\u00e9rieur (ARES)","award":["PRD2020-Cameroun"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PRD2020-Cameroun"]}]},{"name":"Belgian university cooperation agency, Acad\u00e9mie de Recherche et de l\u2019Enseignement Sup\u00e9rieur (ARES)","award":["PFS2020-Rwanda"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PFS2020-Rwanda"]}]},{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFHR) in Kigali","award":["PRD2020-Cameroun"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PRD2020-Cameroun"]}]},{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFHR) in Kigali","award":["PFS2020-Rwanda"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PFS2020-Rwanda"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Malaria remains a significant public health challenge, particularly in endemic regions. The extensive genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) complicates outbreak prediction and transmission control. One of its most polymorphic markers, merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2), presents a potential target for molecular surveillance. This cross-sectional study, conducted at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFHR) from October 2021 to June 2023, assessed MSP2\u2019s utility in malaria prediction. PfMSP2 was sequenced, and selected amplicons were cloned, expressed in bacteria, and purified. These antigens were tested against sera from malaria patients and geographically diverse healthy individuals, with complementary surveys contextualizing serological findings. Of the 75 processed monoallelic clinical isolates, 3D7 strains predominated over FC27. Three MSP2-derived biomarkers were produced, eliciting significantly low IgG responses in malaria patients and Belgian controls, but a complex pattern emerged in healthy individuals, with significant differences between Rwandan and Cameroonian samples. IgG3 was the predominant subclass in individuals with high IgG responses. Notably, Rwandan individuals with weak humoral responses to the tested antigens but also other with high responses experienced malaria episodes in the subsequent year. These findings highlight MSP2 polymorphism as a valuable tool for malaria surveillance and outbreak prediction. Integrating genotyping and serology could enable precise, community-specific malaria risk assessments, strengthening control strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms26115277","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,30]],"date-time":"2025-05-30T09:22:41Z","timestamp":1748596961000},"page":"5277","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Leveraging the Polymorphism of the Merozoite Surface Protein 2 (MSP2) to Engineer Molecular Tools for Predicting Malaria Episodes in a Community"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Edgar Mutebwa","family":"Kalimba","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Embryology and Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium"},{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab, King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali P.O. Box 2534, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sandra Fankem","family":"Noukimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Embryology and Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6324-6898","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jean-Bosco","family":"Mbonimpa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab, King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali P.O. Box 2534, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cabirou Mounchili","family":"Shintouo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7154-4924","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Radouane","family":"Ouali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Vector-Pathogen Biology, Proteomic Platform, Department of Molecular Biology, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mariama Telly","family":"Diallo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Embryology and Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Antoine","family":"Vicario","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Embryology and Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Samuel","family":"Vandecasteele","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences, Universit\u00e9 de Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abenwie Suh","family":"Nchang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-7851-559X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lahngong Methodius","family":"Shinyuy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-3837-8322","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mary Teke","family":"Efeti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gerontology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aimee Nadine","family":"Nsengiyumva Ishimwe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab, King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali P.O. Box 2534, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aloysie Basoma","family":"Biryuwenze","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab, King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali P.O. Box 2534, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-7585-1840","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arsene Musana","family":"Habimana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab, King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali P.O. Box 2534, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Louis de Mont Fort Ntwali","family":"Mugisha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab, King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali P.O. Box 2534, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"Ayadi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Embryology and Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0146-3894","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert Adamu","family":"Shey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8853-6031","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rose","family":"Njemini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gerontology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3459-6554","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stephen Mbigha","family":"Ghogomu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1526-4431","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacob","family":"Souopgui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Embryology and Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Universit\u00e9 Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium"},{"name":"Rwanda Malaria Research Lab, King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali P.O. Box 2534, Rwanda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2024, December 15). World Malaria Report 2024. 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