title: Identification of core B cell epitope in the synthetic peptide inducing cross-inhibiting antibodies to a surface protein antigen of Streptococcus mutans.
abstract: A surface protein antigen (PAc) of Streptococcus mutans, in particular, A-region of the molecule, has been considered as a possible target for the development of an effective anticaries vaccine. This region might be implicated in the induction of dental caries via interaction with salivary components. We have recently specified a unique peptide, TYEAALKQYEADL, as one of the minimum peptides that completely corresponds to the amino acid sequence of a part of the A-region. The unique peptide contains both T and B cell epitopes for the induction of cross-reacting antibodies to the PAc. In this study, we synthesized valine or glycine-substituted peptide analogs of this peptide and examined core B cell epitopes of this unique peptide by using ELISA inhibition assay. As a result, the core amino acid residues of -Y------Y---- for B cell recognition were found to likely be not only important amino acids stabilizing the structure, but also might be essential for induction of the cross-inhibiting antibodies against PAc. These results will hopefully provide us with useful information for the design of an effective anticaries peptide vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Science, National Institute of Health, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Senpuku
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nisizawa
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003429:Cross Reactions; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010455:Peptides; C055764:S-layer proteins