title: Human memory T cell responses to SARS-CoV E protein.
abstract: E protein is a membrane component of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Disruption of E protein may reduce viral infectivity. Thus, the SARS-CoV E protein is considered a potential target for the development of antiviral drugs. However, the cellular immune responses to E protein remain unclear in humans. In this study, we found that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from fully recovered SARS individuals rapidly produced IFN-gamma and IL-2 following stimulation with a pool of 9 peptides overlapping the entire E protein sequence. Analysis of the immune responses by flow cytometry showed that both CD4+ and CD8+T cells were involved in the SARS-CoV E-specific immune responses after stimulation with SARS-CoV E peptides. Moreover, the majority of IFN-gamma+CD4+T cells were central memory cells expressing CD45RO+CCR7+CD62L-; whereas IFN-gamma+CD8+ memory T cells were mostly effector memory cells expressing CD45RO-CCR7-CD62L-. The results of T-cell responses to 9 individual peptides indicated that the E protein contained at least two major T cell epitopes (E2 amino acid [aa] 9-26 and E5-6: aa 33-57) which were important in eliciting cellular immune response to SARS-CoV E protein in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510089, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Li-tao
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ling-yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Koup
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Bailer
authors.forename: Chang-you
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: C501689:E protein, SARS coronavirus; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma