title: The major hormone-specific discontinuous epitopes on human chorionic gonadotrophin.
abstract: The hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) shows extensive sequence homology with LH. Thus, many of the antigenic epitopes on hCG are shared with LH, leading to immunological cross-reaction between these two hormones. Anti-fertility and anti-cancer vaccines based upon hCG should ideally target only the hCG-specific epitopes. The hCG-unique linear epitopes located in the C-terminal peptide of the hCG beta-chain are well characterised. In contrast, the hCG-specific discontinuous epitopes, termed beta1, beta6 and beta7, have remained poorly defined. By generating hCG beta-chain molecules containing single amino acid substitutions we have identified R10, N13, R60 and Q89 as being important in the formation of the beta1 epitope, with R60 providing a particularly dominant residue. We also show that the amino acid residue Q89 contributes to the beta7 epitope, whilst D61 plays a role in both the beta6 and beta7 epitopes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Molecular Pathology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charrel-Dennis
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lapthorn
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Roitt
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Delves
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D016466:CHO Cells; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006728:Hormones; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D000939:Epitopes; D006728:Hormones