title: Novel T-cell epitopes of ovalbumin in BALB/c mouse: potential for peptide-immunotherapy.
abstract: The identification of food allergen T-cell epitopes provides a platform for the development of novel immunotherapies. Despite extensive knowledge of the physicochemical properties of hen ovalbumin (OVA), a major egg allergen, the complete T-cell epitope map of OVA has surprisingly not been defined in the commonly used BALB/c mouse model. In this study, spleen cells obtained from OVA-sensitized mice were incubated in the presence of 12-mer overlapping synthetic peptides, constructed using the SPOTS((R)) synthesis method. Proliferative activity was assessed by 72-h in vitro assays with use of the tetrazolium salt WST-1 and led to identification of four mitogenic sequences, i.e., A39R50, S147R158, K263E274, and A329E340. ELISA analyses of interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 productions in cell culture supernatants upon stimulation with increasing concentrations of peptides confirmed their immunogenicity. Knowledge of the complete T-cell epitope map of OVA opens the way to a number of experimental investigations, including the exploration of peptide-based immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, 435 Gordon Street, Building 38, Room 228, Guelph, Ont., Canada N1G2W1.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mine
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000628:therapy*; D004529:Egg White / Q000009:adverse effects; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology*; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides; D010047:Ovalbumin