Three new cytotoxic T cell epitopes identified within the hepatitis C virus nucleoprotein.
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) may play a role in host defence against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and HCV-specific CTL epitopes may be included in vaccines to induce protective CTLs. We identified three new epitopes within the HCV nucleoprotein recognized by CTLs. HCV nucleoprotein residues 28-37 are the minimal epitope recognized by CTLs in association with the class I human leukocyte antigen B60, and epitopes in HCV nucleoprotein residues 111-130 and 161-180 are both recognized by CTLs in association with the class II human leukocyte antigen DRBI*08032.
Kaneko
T
T
Hepatology Division, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.
Nakamura
I
I
Kita
H
H
Hiroishi
K
K
Moriyama
T
T
Imawari
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000939:Epitopes; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D000939:Epitopes; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus