Differential antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum-derived B-cell epitopes induced by diepitope multiple antigen peptides (MAP) containing different T-cell epitopes.
Epitopes of universal character are needed when designing subunit vaccines against infectious diseases such as malaria. We have compared the immunogenicity of B-cell epitopes from the Plasmodium falciparum antigen repeats DPNANPNV (PfCS protein) and VTEEI (Pf332) when assembled with four different universal T-cell epitopes in diepitope multiple antigen peptides (MAP). T-epitopes employed were from P. falciparum antigens (CS.T3, [T(*)]4 and EBP3) or from the Clostridium tetani toxin (P2). In association with either of the T-epitopes, the genetic unresponsiveness to the B-epitopes was successfully bypassed. Our results show that the immunogenicity of a T-epitope alone does not necessarily predict the ability of the T-epitope to provide T-cell help when combined with other epitopes in an immunogen. Further, the nature of the immune responses in terms of total IgG antibodies and their subclass distribution, T-cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production, varied with the T-epitope and mouse strain, which may indicate the need for inclusion of a combination of different universal T-epitopes in a future malaria subunit vaccine.
Vasconcelos
Nina-Maria
NM
Department of Immunology, Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
Siddique
Abu Bakar
AB
Ahlborg
Niklas
N
Berzins
Klavs
K
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000276:immunology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013744:Tetanus Toxin