A novel CD4+ T-helper lymphocyte epitope in the VP3 protein of hepatitis A virus.
Prediction analysis of TH-cell epitopes in the VP3 capsid protein of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) revealed the occurrence of a putative TH epitope in the 102-121 region complying with all the algorithms tested. To confirm these predictions, spleen T lymphocytes obtained from BALB/c mice previously immunised with HAV, were stimulated in vitro with different concentrations of synthetic peptides 102-121 and 110-121 of VP3. The ability of these peptides to stimulate CD4+ T-helper lymphocytes proliferation was evaluated by an immunological flow cytometry detection of bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Using this method, it is concluded that the amino terminal part of the VP3 102-121 sequence contains a T cell epitope.
Enteric Virus Group, Department of Microbiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Glòria
G
Sánchez
Rosa M
RM
Pintó
Albert
A
Bosch
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109000:VP3 peptide (110-121), hepatitis A virus; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine