title: The MHC-haplotype influences primary, but not memory, immune responses to an immunodominant peptide containing T- and B-cell epitopes of the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus Gag protein.
abstract: In this report, we describe a short peptide, containing a T helper- and a B-cell epitope, located in the Gag protein of the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV). This T-cell epitope is capable of inducing a robust T-cell proliferative response in vaccinated goats with different genetic backgrounds and to provide help for a strong antibody response to the B-cell epitope, indicating that it may function as a universal antigen-carrier for goat vaccines. The primary immune response of goats homozygous for MHC class I and II genes showed an MHC-dependent partitioning in rapid-high and slow-low responses, whereas the memory immune response was strong in both groups, demonstrating that a vaccine based on this immunodominant T helper epitope is capable to overcome genetic differences.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Virology, University of Berne, Laenggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fluri
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nenci
authors.forename: Marie-Luise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zahno
authors.forename: Hans-Rudolf
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Shiv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Charan
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busato
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pancino
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peterhans
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Obexer-Ruff
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertoni
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016088:Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus, Caprine / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology*; D006041:Goats / Q000276:immunology*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin