title: Identification of an HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitope in rotavirus VP6 protein.
abstract: The function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in rotavirus (RV) infection in humans is poorly understood. To date, no RV-specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I-restricted T-cell epitopes have been described. In this study, four peptides derived from human RV Wa strain VP6 protein were predicted by computer algorithms and verified by an HLA*0201-binding assay. Two peptides with high affinity for HLA-A*0201 molecules were further assessed. The CTLs induced in vitro by P340-348 (TLLANVTAV)-loaded autologous dendritic cells from peripheral blood lymphocytes of HLA-A*0201-matched healthy donors released gamma interferon specifically upon stimulation with P340-348-loaded T2 cells. The CTLs lysed both P340-348-loaded T2 cells and human RV Wa strain-infected HLA-A*0201(+) Caco-2 cells in an antigen-specific and HLA-A*0201-restricted manner. At the same time, P340-348 was shown to be immunogenic in vivo in HLA-A*0201/Kb transgenic mice. It is proposed that P340-348 is an HLA-A*0201-restricted CTL epitope.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jin-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing-Xue
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu-Zhang
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C061332:VP6 protein, Rotavirus