T-helper cell and associated antibody response to synthetic peptides of the E glycoprotein of Murray Valley encephalitis virus.
A battery of 16 synthetic peptides, selected primarily by computer analysis for predicted B- and T-cell epitopes, was prepared from the deduced amino acid sequence of the envelope (E) glycoprotein of Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus. We examined all of the peptides for T-helper (Th)-cell recognition and antibody induction in three strains of mice: C57BL/6, BALB/c, and C3H. Lymphoproliferative and interleukin-2 assays were performed on splenic T cells from mice inoculated with peptides in Freund's incomplete adjuvant or with MVE virus. Several peptides found to contain predicted T-cell epitopes elicited a Th-cell response in at least one strain of mice, usually with a concomitant antibody response. Peptides 145 (amino acids 145 to 169) and 17 (amino acids 356 to 376) were strongly recognized by T cells from all three inbred strains of mice. Peptide 06 (amino acids 230 to 251) primed C57BL/6 mice for Th- and B-cell reactivity with native MVE virus, and T cells from virus-immune mice were stimulated by this peptide. Peptide 06 was recognized by several Th-cell clones prepared from mice immunized with MVE, West Nile, or Kunjin virus. These results indicate that it may be feasible to design synthetic flavivirus peptides that define T-cell epitopes capable of generating a helper cell response for B-cell epitopes involved in protective immunity.
Mathews
J H
JH
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Fort Collins, Colorado 80522.
Allan
J E
JE
Roehrig
J T
JT
Brubaker
J R
JR
Uren
M F
MF
Hunt
A R
AR
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002999:Clone Cells; D004668:Encephalitis Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007114:Immunization; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology*
D010455:Peptides; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C065696:glycoprotein E, Flavivirus