New epitope peptides derived from hepatitis C virus (HCV) 2a which have the capacity to induce cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HLA-A2+ HCV-infected patients.
Because cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play an important role in the specific immunotherapy of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a series of CTL epitopes has been defined from HCV genotype 1a or 1b protein. Here, we attempted to identify HCV2a-derived epitopes that are capable of inducing HLA-A2-restricted and peptide-specific CTLs. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HLA-A2+ HCV2ainfected patients or healthy donors were stimulated in vitro with each of the HCV2a-derived peptides, which were prepared based on the HLA-A2-binding motif, and their peptide-specific and HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxicities were examined. The HCV2a 432-441, HCV2a 716-724, and HCV2a 2251-2260 peptides were found to efficiently induce peptide-specific CTLs from the PBMCs of HLA-A2+ HCV2ainfected patients. Cytotoxicity was mainly mediated by CD8+ T cells in a HLA class I-restricted manner. These results indicate that the HCV2a 432-441, HCV2a 716-724, and HCV2a 2251-2260 peptides might be applicable for peptide-based immunotherapy of HLA-A2+ HCV2a-infected patients.
Wang
Yi
Y
Cancer Vaccine Development Division, Kurume University Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Fukuoka, Japan.
Takao
Yukari
Y
Harada
Mamoru
M
Yutani
Shigeru
S
Ide
Tatsuya
T
Sata
Michio
M
Itoh
Kyogo
K
Yamada
Akira
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D010455:Peptides