Mapping B-cell epitopes of hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein using human monoclonal antibodies from phage display libraries.
Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 glycoprotein (HCV/E2) is the most promising candidate for the development of an effective anti-HCV vaccine. Identification of the human epitopes that are conserved among isolates and are able to elicit protective antibodies would constitute a significant step forward. This work describes the mapping of the B-cell epitopes present on the surface of HCV/E2, as recognized by the immune system during infection, by the analysis of the reciprocal interactions of a panel of human recombinant Fabs derived from an HCV-infected patient. Three unrelated epitopes recognized by antibodies with no neutralization-of-binding (NOB) activity were identified; a fourth, major epitope was defined as a clustering of minor epitopes recognized by Fabs endowed with strong NOB activity.
Bugli
F
F
Istituti di Microbiologia, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Mancini
N
N
Kang
C Y
CY
Di Campli
C
C
Grieco
A
A
Manzin
A
A
Gabrielli
A
A
Gasbarrini
A
A
Fadda
G
G
Varaldo
P E
PE
Clementi
M
M
Burioni
R
R
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D019151:Peptide Library; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D019151:Peptide Library; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C091015:glycoprotein E2, Hepatitis C virus