title: Cross-reactive and group-specific immune responses to a neutralizing epitope of the human respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein.
abstract: Immune responses to a synthetic peptide corresponding to amino-acids 205-225 of the fusion protein from group B respiratory syncytial (RS) virus, were studied in mice and rabbits, and compared to a similar peptide from group A RS virus. Peptide 205-225 (B) was recognized by monoclonal antibody RS-348, and was immunogenic in both mice and rabbits, as was peptide 205-225 from the fusion protein of a group A strain. Peptide 205-225 (B) induced a proliferative T-cell response, demonstrating the existence of a T-cell epitope in this region of the fusion protein of group B viruses. Both peptides were able to induce a T-cell cross-reactive proliferation when mice were primed with either the homologous or the heterologous peptide. ELISA were performed using synthetic peptides or whole virus (from group A and B) as antigens. Mice anti-peptide sera recognized both homologous and heterologous peptides. A similar pattern was observed with RS virus strains. In indirect immunofluorescence assays, both anti-peptide rabbit sera recognized human nasal epithelial cells infected with A or B strains of RS virus. In contrast, while anti-peptide 205-225 rabbit serum from group A neutralized group A and B strains of RS virus, anti-peptide 205-225 rabbit serum from group B was unable to neutralize a group A virus, although it neutralized a group B strain. These results are similar to the immune response observed in children following primary RS virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Virologie, Faculté de Médecine-Pharmacie, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corvaisier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bourgeois
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pothier
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015707:HN Protein; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011817:Rabbits; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015707:HN Protein; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C116204:attachment protein G