# Mosquito SAMSP1 and SAMSP2 influence the initial stage of Plasmodium infection of mice

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $819,466

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
This proposal will elucidate how two specific proteins in mosquito saliva influence the early stage of
Plasmodium infection in mice. Our group previously developed a general screen to identify proteins in
Anopheles gambiae saliva that associate with sporozoites during movement out the mosquito and deposition
into the skin of a mammalian host (Schleicher
Graham
TR, Yang J, Freudzon M, Rembisz A, Craft S, Hamilton M,
M, Mlambo G, Tripathi AK, Li Y, Cresswell P, Sinnis P, Dimopoulos G, Fikrig E. Nat Commun. 2018
25;9(1):2908). Several proteins were identified, including sporozoite-associated mosquito saliva protein
(SAMSP) 1 and SAMSP2. Our preliminary data shows that SAMSP1 plays a role in facilitating Plasmodium
infection in mice and that SAMSP2 has immunomodulatory activity. This proposal will now examine the
importance of SAMSP1 and SAMPS2 in influencing the initial stage of Plasmodium infection in mice. Gene
silencing and antibody blocking studies will assess the role of these proteins in the early stages of murine
infection. In vivo two-photon microscopy of the dermis, and in vitro assays to assess movement and immune
modulation, will delineate the effects of SAMSP1 and SAMSP2 on sporozoite activity. Understanding the
importance of SAMSP1 and SAMSP2 in Plasmodium infection will hopefully lead to new strategies to combat
malaria.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10393036
- **Project number:** 5R01AI158615-02
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** George Dimopoulos
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $819,466
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-04-14 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10393036

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10393036, Mosquito SAMSP1 and SAMSP2 influence the initial stage of Plasmodium infection of mice (5R01AI158615-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10393036. Licensed CC0.

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