Induction of HIV-1 IIIb neutralizing antibodies in BALB/c mice by a chimaeric peptide consisting of a T-helper cell epitope of Semliki Forest virus and a B-cell epitope of HIV.
A colinearly synthesized peptide consisting of a H-2d restricted T-helper cell epitope of Semliki Forest virus (SFV) and triple repeats of sequence GPGRAF, derived from the V3 domain of HIV-1 strains, was used to immunize BALB/c (H-2d) mice. Pepscan analysis of sera from peptide-immunized mice revealed that the chimaeric peptide GREKFTIRPHYGKEIGPGRAFGPGRAFGPGRAF contains three distinct antibody-reactive sequences GREKFTIR, PHYGKEI and GPGRAF. The chimaeric peptide evoked HIV-1 IIIb neutralizing antibodies in serum as measured in vitro by reduction of syncytia formation and reduction of p24 production as well. So, the T-helper cell epitope of SFV provided help to a small linear neutralization epitope of HIV-1 strains. Interestingly, the T-helper cell epitope alone might induce antibodies cross-reactive with HIV-1 IIIb specific peptide GPGRAFVTIGK which shows some homology (residues underlined) with the antibody-reactive sequence GREKTIR of SFV.
Fernández
I M
IM
Eijkman-Winkler Institute for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Inflammation, University Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Golding
H
H
Benaissa-Trouw
B J
BJ
de Vos
N M
NM
Harmsen
M
M
Nottet
H S
HS
Golding
B
B
Puijk
W C
WC
Meloen
R H
RH
Snippe
H
H
Kraaijeveld
C A
CA
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012672:Semliki forest virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C098257:SPC3 peptide