title: Vaccine generated immunity targets an HPV16 E7 HLA-A2.1-restricted CD8(+) T cell epitope relocated to an early gene or a late gene of the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) genome in HLA-A2.1 transgenic rabbits.
abstract: The newly established HLA-A2.1 transgenic rabbit model has proven useful for testing the immunogenicity of well known and computer-predicted A2-restricted epitopes. In the current study we compared the protective immunity induced to a preferred HPV16 E7 A2-restricted epitope that has been relocated to positions within the CRPV E7 gene and the CRPV L2 gene. Epitope expression from both the E7 protein and the L2 protein resulted in increased protection against viral DNA challenge of the HLA-A2.1 transgenic rabbits as compared to control-vaccinated rabbit groups. These data indicate that proteins expressed at both early and late time points during a natural papillomavirus infection can be targeted by epitope-specific immunity and indicate this immunity is increased to early rather than late expressed proteins of papillomaviruses. This study also highlights the broad utility of the HLAA2.1 transgenic rabbit model for testing numerous immunological factors involved in vaccine generated protective immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
authors.forename: Callie E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Bounds
authors.forename: Jiafen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Cladel
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balogh
authors.forename: Neil D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D012777:Cottontail rabbit papillomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010212:Papilloma / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: C079183:E7 protein, cottontail rabbit papillomavirus; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16