[Molecular design and immunogenicity studies of multiple antigenic peptide corresponding to envelope glycoprotein hypervariable region 1 of hepatitis C virus].
OBJECTIVE
To study the immunogenicity of multiple antigen peptide (MAP) corresponding to the hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) within the putative envelope glycoprotein E2/NS1 of hepatitis C virus (HCV).


METHODS
Basing upon the E2/NS1 consensus sequence of HCV-BJ (isolate of Beijing) which we had obtained previously, and referring to several HCV HVR1 sequences reported by foreign authors, we synthesized a linear epitope peptide (LP) and a MAP (symmetric 8 branches) according to 22 amino acids (position 390 - 411 aa) of HCV-BJ HVR1 on the basis of our prediction to their antigenicity parameters. Then, the Balb/C mice and rabbits were immunized with IP or MAP respectively. We compared the immunogenicity of MAP with Lp.


RESULTS
The results showed that the immunogenicity of MAP which elicited high-titer antibody more than 1:40 960 was much stronger than that of LP (1:1 280).


CONCLUSIONS
It suggests that the immunogenicity of peptide corresponding to HCV HVR1 was stronger by using MAP conformation, and this provide a basis for designing HCV molecular vaccine using MAP.
Wang
Y
Y
Department of Infectious Disease of Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Hao
F
F
Huang
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D010455:Peptides; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins