Broader cross-reactivity after conjugation of V3 based multiple antigen peptides to HBsAg.
Vaccines against highly variable pathogens should elicite antibodies to a huge number of clinical isolates. For this purpose, new strategies to overcome the variability are needed. We have previously reported a useful method to conjugate multiple antigen peptides (MAPs) to carrier proteins. Also, we have suggested that these conjugates might enhance cross-reactivity in comparison to other synthetic structures. In this work, MAPs were synthesized and their respective conjugates to HBsAg were obtained. Two peptides from the V3 loop of HIV-1 were included in the MAPs as B cell epitopes because of their variability. Groups of mice were immunized and the immunogenicity and the level of cross-reaction to a panel of five heterologous V3 peptides were studied. Our results show that sera from mice immunized with MAPs coupled to HBsAg recognize a higher number of heterologous peptides (P < 0.05). This behavior was related neither to the immunogenicity nor the antigenicity of the synthetic structures. These results have important implications for the choice of better immunogens against variable epitopes.
Divisiones de Vacunas, Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología, Ave. 31 e/158 y 190, Cubanacan Playa, Apdo 6162, 10600 Ciudad Habana, Cuba. enrique.iglesias@cigb.edu.cu
Enrique
E
Iglesias
Julio C
JC
Aguilar
Luis J
LJ
Cruz
Osvaldo
O
Reyes
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015202:Protein Engineering; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic