title: Simian virus 40 T antigen as a carrier for the expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte recognition epitopes.
abstract: Simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen can immortalize a wide variety of mammalian cells in culture. We have taken advantage of this property of T antigen to use it as a carrier for the expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) recognition epitopes. DNA sequences corresponding to an H-2Db-restricted SV40 T-antigen site I (amino acids 205 to 215) were translocated into SV40 T-antigen DNA at codon positions 350 and 650 containing EcoRI linkers. An H-2Kb-restricted herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B epitope (amino acids 498 to 505) was also expressed in SV40 T antigen at positions 350 and 650. Primary C57BL/6 mouse kidney cells were immortalized by transfection with the recombinant and wild-type T-antigen DNA. Clonal isolates of cells expressing chimeric T antigens were shown to be specifically susceptible to lysis by CTL clones directed to SV40 T-antigen site I and herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B epitopes, indicating that CTL epitopes restricted by two different elements can be processed, presented, and recognized by the epitope-specific CTL clones. Our results suggest that SV40 T antigen can be used as a carrier protein to express a wide variety of CTL epitopes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey 17033.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bonneau
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tevethia
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tevethia
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D000939:Epitopes; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000276:immunology*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D000939:Epitopes; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus