title: T-helper epitopes of the E7 transforming protein of cervical cancer associated human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18).
abstract: The presence of T-helper epitopes within the E7 transforming protein of human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18) was sought using a series of overlapping synthetic 15-20 mer peptides spanning the entire 105 amino acid sequence of this protein. Two H-2k restricted T-helper epitopes were defined, comprising 44VNHQHLPARRA55 and 81DDLRAFQQLF90 as the minimal T proliferative epitopes. Peptides containing these epitopes were able to provide cognate help to B epitopes from HPV18E7 protein for production of antibody to this protein in vivo in CBA/CaH mice. No H-2b or H-2d restricted epitopes were demonstrable, and in H-2d mice this was associated with poor antibody response to the E7 protein. There is no "promiscuous" T-helper epitope in HPV18 E7 comparable to the 49DRAHYNI55 sequence in HPV16 E7, and restricted T-helper epitope availability may be a determinant of poor immune responses to this protein after natural infection.
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland, Department of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Australia.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Tindle
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Frazer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C052633:E7 protein, Human papillomavirus type 18; D000939:Epitopes; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D010446:Peptide Fragments