title: Characterizing complex polysera produced by antigen-specific immunization through the use of affinity-selected mimotopes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antigen-based (as opposed to whole organism) vaccines are actively being pursued for numerous indications. Even though different formulations may produce similar levels of total antigen-specific antibody, the composition of the antibody response can be quite distinct resulting in different levels of therapeutic activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using plasmid-based immunization against the proto-oncogene HER-2 as a model, we have demonstrated that affinity-selected epitope mimetics (mimotopes) can provide a defined signature of a polyclonal antibody response. Further, using novel computer algorithms that we have developed, these mimotopes can be used to predict epitope targets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By combining our novel strategy with existing methods of epitope prediction based on physical properties of an individual protein, we believe that this method offers a robust method for characterizing the breadth of epitope-specificity within a specific polyserum. This strategy is useful as a tool for monitoring immunity following vaccination and can also be used to define relevant epitopes for the creation of novel vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Denisova
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Denisov
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Evelegh
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weissgram
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Stephen Ronan
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Jonathan Lorne
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bramson
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019151:Peptide Library; D051381:Rats; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007106:Immune Sera; D019151:Peptide Library; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases