title: Induction of CTL responses and identification of a novel epitope of hepatitis B virus surface antigens in C57BL/6 mice immunized with recombinant vaccinia viruses.
abstract: MHC class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigens (HBsAg) has been suggested to play essential roles in viral clearance and pathogenesis of HBV-induced hepatitis. In the present study, we analyzed CTL responses to endogenously synthesized or exogenously introduced HBsAg in C57BL/6 mice (H-2(b)). We show that the endogenously synthesized surface antigens of adr-type HBV encoded by recombinant vaccinia virus efficiently elicit CTL responses in C57BL/6 mice previously defined as non-responders to vaccinia-HBV immunization. We also show that two peptides, S(179-186) (FVQWFVGL) and S(208-216) (ILSPFLPLL), serve as effective motifs for CTL response in H-2(b) system after in vitro restimulation of the primed T cells with either of the two synthetic peptides. S(208-215) has recently been identified as a CTL epitope which could be produced by exogenous pathway only, in contrast to the current result, while S(179-186) appeared a novel epitope for CTL response. In addition, we show that soluble HBsAg also elicits CTL responses in H-2(b) mice upon in vitro restimulation with the two peptides, although less efficiently compared with the recombinant vaccinia viruses. These findings may provide an efficient experimental system for studying H-2(b)-restricted immune responses against endogenously synthesized and exogenously introduced HBsAg.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Life Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, 11 Daehyundong, 120-750, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D006183:H-2 Antigens; C032876:H-2Kb protein, mouse; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic