title: Protection of BALB/c mice from respiratory syncytial virus infection by immunization with a synthetic peptide derived from the G glycoprotein.
abstract: A synthetic peptide homologous to amino acids 174-187 of the G glycoprotein of the A2 strain of human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus (G/174-187) was shown to induce protection from live virus challenge of BALB/c mice after immunization with three doses of 50 micrograms of peptide coupled to keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Immunized mice showed high levels of circulating RS-specific antibodies as detected by ELISA assay; however, no neutralizing antibodies were found. Moreover, an important short-term cytotoxic T-cell response was observed with lymphocytes isolated from the lungs but not from the spleen of immunized mice. This response was lost 24 weeks after immunization; however, mice remained protected against challenge with live RS virus. In addition, a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to peptide G/174-187 was found efficient in conferring passive protection from challenge: this data further supports our results on the importance of the 174-187 region in protection. Another peptide, spanning amino acids 144 to 159, was shown to induce neutralizing antibodies but did not confer protection.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Virologie, Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, Laval, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trudel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nadon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Séguin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Binz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015707:HN Protein; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D015707:HN Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C116204:attachment protein G; D006433:Hemocyanins