Enhancement of the CD8+ T cell response to a subdominant epitope of respiratory syncytial virus by deletion of an immunodominant epitope.
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are critical for the control of respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV) in humans and mice. Recently, we identified a new H-2K(d)-restricted subdominant epitope in the respiratory syncytial virus M2 protein. In this study, we investigated if modification of anchor residues at positions 2 and 9 in the dominant M2(82-90) epitope in the M2 protein would alter the CTL epitope dominance hierarchy following immunization with plasmid DNA encoding M2 proteins. We showed that immunogenicity of the subdominant epitope M2(127-135) was enhanced when the anchor residues of the dominant epitope were mutated, suggesting that the immunodominant epitope induces a suppression of response to the subdominant epitope.
Mok
Hoyin
H
Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States.
Lee
Sujin
S
Wright
David W
DW
Crowe
James E
JE
D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; C507355:M2-2 protein, respiratory syncytial virus; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins