title: A strategy for the identification of T-cell epitopes on Leishmania cysteine proteinases.
abstract: In this study computational analysis was used to compile sequence alignments, construct a dendrogram and calculate physical data in order to predict potential T-cell epitopes of the Leishmania cysteine proteinase. Using multiple alignment of human and Leishmania proteinase sequences deposited on data bank sequences, it was possible to predict that the extreme C-terminus of cysteine proteinase (Cyspep, 355-444) contained three peptides (pI 361-370, pII 415-422 and pIII 431-444) with charge score, hydrophobicity and isoelectric points compatible for human leucocyte-associated antigen (HLA) class II binding. The prediction was confirmed in vitro through the ability of synthetic peptides corresponding to the predicted regions to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquimica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pontes de Carvalho
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: De Simone
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D010455:Peptides; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases