Selection of SARS-coronavirus-specific B cell epitopes by phage peptide library screening and evaluation of the immunological effect of epitope-based peptides on mice.
Antibodies to SARS-Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-specific B cell epitopes might recognize the pathogen and interrupt its adherence to and penetration of host cells. Hence, these epitopes could be useful for diagnosis and as vaccine constituents. Using the phage-displayed peptide library screening method and purified Fab fragments of immunoglobulin G (IgG Fab) from normal human sera and convalescent sera from SARS-CoV-infected patients as targets, 11 B cell epitopes of SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein (S protein) and membrane protein (M protein) were screened. After a bioinformatics tool was used to analyze these epitopes, four epitope-based S protein dodecapeptides corresponding to the predominant epitopes were chosen for synthesis. Their antigenic specificities and immunogenicities were studied in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometry and ELISPOT analysis of lymphocytes as well as a serologic analysis of antibody showed that these peptides could trigger a rapid, highly effective, and relatively safe immune response in BALB/c mice. These findings might aid development of SARS diagnostics and vaccines. Moreover, the role of S and M proteins as important surface antigens is confirmed.
Yu
Hua
H
Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhong-shan 2-Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Jiang
Li-Fang
LF
Fang
Dan-Yun
DY
Yan
Hui-Jun
HJ
Zhou
Jing-Jiao
JJ
Zhou
Jun-Mei
JM
Liang
Yu
Y
Gao
Yang
Y
Zhao
Wei
W
Long
Bei-Guo
BG
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides; D014765:Viral Vaccines