抗禽流感病毒多表位DNA疫苗的构建及其免疫效力研究

多表位DNA疫苗是建立在常规DNA疫苗基础上的一种新型疫苗。它是用表位作免疫原,这样就比较容易在一个表达载体上克隆病原体的多个抗原基因中具有免疫活性的部分。本试验以H5N1亚型禽流感病毒的HA和NP基因及其表位为基础构建了4个重组质粒：1 pIRES/HA（表达全长的HA基因）;2 pIRES/tHA（只表达HA基因的主要抗原表位区）;3 pIRES/tHANpep（融合表达HA基因的抗原表位区和NP基因的3个CTL表位）;4 pIRES/tHANpep-IFN-γ（用鸡的IFN-γ基因取代质粒pIRES/tHANpep中的neo基因）。分别用这4个重组质粒和空载体质粒pIRES1neo肌注免疫30日龄SPF鸡。免疫3次,间隔为2周,每次每只鸡的剂量为200μg。第3次免疫后两周以高致病性禽流感病毒H5N1强毒攻击,免疫及攻毒前后均采血检测HI抗体效价和外周血CD4⁺、CD8⁺T细胞的变化。结果发现,攻毒前各质粒免疫组均检测不到HI抗体,攻毒后1周存活鸡HI抗体效价迅速升高到64～256。流式细胞仪检测显示外周血CD4⁺、CD8⁺T细胞在疫苗免疫后都有不同程度的升高。空载体质粒对照组鸡（10只）在攻毒后3～8 d内全部死亡,其他各重组质粒免疫组鸡都获得了部分保护,保护率分别是：pIRES/HA组为545%（6/11）,pIRES/tHA组为30%（3/10）,pIRES/tHANPep组为36.3%（4/11）, pIRES/tHANPepIFNγ组为50%（5/10）。这些结果表明我们构建的多表位DNA疫苗能够诱导机体产生特异性免疫应答,并在同型禽流感强毒攻击时对鸡只提供了一定的保护。     

A组轮状病毒多个结构蛋白抗原表位的串联表达及其免疫原性的检测

从北京腹泻婴儿粪便提取的轮状病毒(rotavirus,RV)(T114株)的RNA中,克隆到轮状病毒结构蛋白基因vp4,vp6和vp7的全长cDNA,对它们编码的蛋白质序列和可能的抗原表位肽进行了预测,选择了RV主要抗原蛋白VP7、VP6和VP4的4个抗原表位肽,通过人工合成DNA的方式将这些抗原表位肽基因串联融合成一个阅读框RME(rotavirus multipleepitopes,RME)并构建原核表达载体.大肠杆菌表达的RME在ELISA反应中可被RV多克隆抗体识别,纯化的RME蛋白注射免疫小鼠可诱导特异性免疫应答,产生高滴度的同源氨基酸序列特异抗体和人RV抗体,其中针对RME的IgG抗体滴度达到l∶40 000,针对单个抗原表位EV7、EV6和EV4的IgG抗体滴度达l∶10 000～l∶20 000,针对RV Wa株的IgG抗体滴度较低为l∶2 500,但能特异地中和该病毒对MAC145细胞的侵染.上述结果为新型RV基因工程疫苗的研发提供了论据和基础.     

基于纳米抗体CDR3区抗原表位展示制备生存素抗体及其鉴定

目的:通过纳米抗体CDR3区展示生存素N端表位的方式,探索纳米抗体在抗原表位展示中的作用。方法:通过基因合成方法将生存素N端起始表位(氨基酸序列1~15)插入纳米抗体CDR3区,再构建到原核表达载体pET24a中,IPTG诱导表达,用带His标签的填料纯化,获得高纯度的目的蛋白,免疫雌性BALB/c小鼠,间接ELISA检测5次免疫后的效价,用抗原偶联纯化介质纯化免疫多抗,Western印迹检测多抗特异性。结果:IPTG诱导后,目的蛋白主要以包涵体形式存在,亲和层析获得纯度大于96%的目的蛋白,包涵体经复性后免疫小鼠,效价可达1∶512000,West?ern印迹特异性检测显示免疫多抗能够特异性结合生存素。结论:纳米抗体CDR3区生存素抗原N端表位展示的方法可用于抗生存素抗体的制备,并为今后纳米抗体表位展示相关研究奠定基础。     

传染性法氏囊病病毒AH1株vp2基因在昆虫细胞中的表达与应用

将近期引起传染性法氏囊病(IBD)免疫预防失败的传染性法氏囊病病毒(IBDV)vp2基因,定向克隆入杆状病毒表达系统的供体质粒pFastBacHTA中,构建重组供体质粒pFastBacHTA-VP2,转化Escherichia coli DH10Bac感受态,筛选重组杆状病毒表达质粒pBac-VP2。用pBac-VP2转染Sf9昆虫细胞,获得重组杆状病毒vBac-VP2。对重组杆状病毒vBac-VP2感染的Sf9细胞,用间接免疫荧光试验(IFA)检测,具有特异性荧光;用IBDV抗体夹心ELISA检测,呈阳性反应,抗原效价达到1.6×103;用Western blotting分析,在53kDa处出现一条特异蛋白条带;电镜观察,重组Vp2蛋白能够自组装成病毒样颗粒,在感染细胞中发现了"包涵体样"结构。用HisTrap HP亲和层析柱纯化的重组Vp2蛋白作为包被抗原,建立的IBDV抗体间接ELISA检测方法具有良好的特异性。用重组杆状病毒感染的Sf9昆虫细胞裂解物,免疫2周龄SPF鸡,一次免疫14d后,ELISA检测抗体效价为8×102,中和抗体效价为1106,攻毒实验的存活率为30%;二次免疫14d后,ELISA抗体效价为3.2×103,中和抗体效价为2536,存活率为100%。在实验观察7d内,重组Vp2蛋白免疫保护鸡未显任何临床症状和病理变化,法氏囊/体重比高于对照组(P0.05)。本实验制备的病毒样颗粒重组Vp2蛋白在研制新型IBD基因工程疫苗和检测试剂方面显示出了应用前景。     

传染性法氏囊病病毒五个抗原表位短肽的鉴定与序列分析

以5株传染性法氏囊病病毒(Infectious bursal disease virus,IBDV)单克隆抗体HNF1、HNF7、B34、2B1和2G8作为筛选分子,对噬菌体展示12肽库进行3轮"吸附-洗脱-扩增"淘洗,从每株单克隆抗体筛选到的噬菌斑中随机挑取12个单克隆蓝色噬菌斑,合计60个,用间接ELISA检测,A值大于1.00;用竞争抑制ELISA分析,单克隆抗体和IBDV抗原均能竞争抑制筛选12肽与固相包被单克隆抗体的反应,抑制率大于40%,表明在该12肽内含有IBDV抗原表位.选取35个单克隆噬菌斑,测定噬菌体gⅢ部分基因的核苷酸序列,确定了这5个含有不同IBDV抗原表位12肽的核苷酸和氨基酸序列.进一步将其与GenBank中IBDV基因组编码蛋白的氨基酸序列进行比较,发现2B1筛选肽有4个连续氨基酸残基Leu-Ala-Ser-Pro与IBDV基因组A片段编码多聚蛋白的第536-599氨基酸残基一致,推测2B1为线性表位;而HNF1、HNF7、B34和2G8筛选肽均没找到有3个以上连续氨基酸残基与IBDV蛋白序列相同之处,推测可能是构象依赖性表位.     

传染性法氏囊病病毒五个抗原表位短肽的鉴定与序列分析

以5株传染性法氏囊病病毒(Infectious bursal disease virus,IBDV)单克隆抗体HNF1、HNF7、B34、2B1和2G8作为筛选分子,对噬菌体展示12肽库进行3轮"吸附-洗脱-扩增"淘洗,从每株单克隆抗体筛选到的噬菌斑中随机挑取12个单克隆蓝色噬菌斑,合计60个,用间接ELISA检测,A值大于1.00;用竞争抑制ELISA分析,单克隆抗体和IBDV抗原均能竞争抑制筛选12肽与固相包被单克隆抗体的反应,抑制率大于40%,表明在该12肽内含有IBDV抗原表位。选取35个单克隆噬菌斑,测定噬菌体gIII部分基因的核苷酸序列,确定了这5个含有不同IBDV抗原表位12肽的核苷酸和氨基酸序列。进一步将其与GenBank中IBDV基因组编码蛋白的氨基酸序列进行比较,发现2B1筛选肽有4个连续氨基酸残基Leu-Ala-Ser-Pro与IBDV基因组A片段编码多聚蛋白的第536-599氨基酸残基一致,推测2B1为线性表位;而HNF1、HNF7、B34和2G8筛选肽均没找到有3个以上连续氨基酸残基与IBDV蛋白序列相同之处,推测可能是构象依赖性表位。     

基于B细胞表位制备抗肝细胞生成素的抗体

目的：基于B细胞表位制备抗肝细胞生成素（HPO）的抗体。方法：根据HPO的空间结构选择了2个候选B细胞表位,展示在T7噬菌体的表面,将提取的重组噬菌体免疫动物,采用ELISA法检测抗血清的效价,通过杂交瘤技术制备针对HPOC端表位的单克隆抗体。结果：2个候选B细胞表位KDGSCD和DGWKDGSC均能诱导抗相应表位多肽的多克隆抗体的产生,免疫6周后血清中抗体效价均达到1∶103,产生的抗体还能够特异识别HPO全蛋白;针对HPOC端表位KDGSCD的单克隆抗体也能识别HPO全蛋白,且具有良好的特异性。结论：基于T7噬菌体展示的B细胞表位可作为免疫原用于制备识别该B细胞表位来源的全蛋白质的抗体。     

传染性法氏囊病病毒 VP2/4/3-ChIL-2融合基因DNA疫苗免疫原性研究

应用重叠延伸剪切技术(splicing by overlapping extension,SOE),经3次PCR将传染性法氏囊病病毒(infectiousbursal disease virus,IBDV)多聚蛋白(VP2/4/3)基因和鸡白细胞介素2(Chicken IL-2,ChIL-2)基因进行融合,定向插入真核表达载体pCI的CMV启动子下游,获得重组质粒pCI-VP2/4/3-IL-2和pCI-IL-2-VP2/4/3。将其制备成DNA疫苗,肌肉注射14日龄非免疫鸡,2周后加强免疫,定期测定鸡抗IBDV血清ELISA抗体效价及病毒中和抗体效价。加强免疫后3周用IBDV标准强毒株攻击,连续观察3天后全部扑杀,计算保护率及囊体比,并进行组织病理学检查。结果表明:1)融合基因重组质粒pCI-VP2/4/3-IL-2、pCI-IL-2-VP2/4/3免疫后能明显增强IBDVDNA疫苗对强毒的攻击保护(保护率分别为83.3%、91.6%),显著高于pCI-VP2/4/3单独免疫对照组(58.3%);2)诱导产生的抗IBDV血清ELISA抗体效价明显增高(P<0.05),同时能提高DNA疫苗诱导产生的中和抗体效价(P<0.05);3)能显著促进鸡外周血液T淋巴细胞增殖反应。上述结果提示:IBDV VP2/4/3与ChIL-2基因融合后发挥了相互协同作用,ChIL-2产生了分子免疫佐剂效应;融合基因DNA疫苗能增强IBDV DNA疫苗的免疫原性,促进了机体特异性免疫应答。     

传染性法氏囊病病毒VP3抗原表位的鉴定

利用肽扫描技术对4株IBDV VP3的单克隆抗体(HRB-3F、HRB-7B、HRB-7C和HRB-10E)的抗原表位进行了研究.通过Western blot和ELISA鉴定,将HRB-3F和HRB-7B的抗原表位定位于VP3 109～119 aa(位于IB-DV聚合蛋白的864～874 aa),HRB-7C和HRB-10E的抗原表位定位于VP3 177～190 aa(位于IBDV聚合蛋白的932～945 aa).进一步检测其反应原性及免疫原性,结果表明,这两个表位均能与抗IBDV阳性血清反应.将这两个表位短肽免疫BALB/c小鼠,其血清可以和IBDV反应,具有较好的免疫原性.与D6948、HK46和UK661等多株IBDV相应区域的同源性进行了比较,结果显示,这两个表位在多种毒株中同源性为100%.通过IBDV VP3抗原表位的研究,筛出两个新的保守线性表位并进行精确定位,对进一步分析IBDV结构与功能以及建立以表位为基础的抗原抗体诊断方法具有重要的意义.     

家蚕GAPDH内参蛋白多克隆抗体的制备及其检测

制备家蚕GAPDH内参蛋白多克隆抗体,并对该抗体进行检测。利用PCR技术从家蚕中克隆GAPDH基因,构建其原核表达载体,转化大肠杆菌,诱导表达重组蛋白并纯化。纯化后的蛋白作为抗原免疫新西兰大白兔制备GAPDH多克隆抗体。用酶联免疫吸附法和Western blot检测抗体的效价和特异性。结果显示,成功构建GAPDH/p ET-28a原核表达载体,获得高纯度的GAPDH重组融合蛋白;经SDS-PAGE和抗His单抗检测,纯化后蛋白的分子量大小与预测的一致;以该蛋白为免疫抗原,采用4次免疫方式对新西兰大白兔进行免疫,获得GAPDH多克隆抗体血清。酶联免疫吸附检测结果表明,GAPDH抗体的效价为1:8000,并能与天然家蚕蛋白特异性结合。成功制备了家蚕内参蛋白GAPDH多克隆抗体,为深入研究家蚕中不同蛋白的生理功能和作用奠定了坚实的基础。     

Passive immune protection by herpes simplex virus-specific monoclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibody-resistant mutants altered in pathogenicity.

Virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies specific for 13 different genetically defined epitopes of glycoproteins gC, gB, and gD of herpes simplex virus type 1, strain KOS-321, were compared for their ability to provide passive immunity to DBA-2 mice challenged intracranially. Protection was highly specific, since individual monoclonal antibodies failed to protect against infection with monoclonal antibody-resistant (mar) mutants altered in the single epitope recognized by the injected antibody. The dose-response kinetics of passive immunity paralleled the in vitro neutralization titers for each antibody. No correlation was observed between immune protection and antibody isotype or complement-dependent in vitro neutralization titers. This suggests that virus neutralization was not the protective mechanism. In general, antibodies reactive with epitopes of gC were protective at the lowest antibody doses, antibodies specific for gB were less efficient in providing immunity, and antibodies against gD were the least effective. mar mutants with single epitope changes in gC and multiple epitope changes in gB showed highly reduced pathogenicity, requiring up to 5 X 10(6) PFU to kill 50% of infected animals. These findings indicated that antigenic variation affects virus growth and spread in the central nervous system. Thus, mutations which affect antigenic structure also can alter virus pathogenicity. The alteration of these epitopes does not, however, appreciably reduce the development of resistance to infection. Infection of mice with these mutants or inoculation of mice with UV-inactivated, mutant-infected cells before challenge rendered the animals resistant to infection with wild-type herpes simplex virus type 1.     

Complete, long-lasting protection against lethal infectious bursal disease virus challenge by a single vaccination with an avian herpesvirus vector expressing VP2 antigens

Marek's disease herpesvirus is a vaccine vector of great promise for chickens; however, complete protection against foreign infectious diseases has not been achieved. In this study, two herpesvirus of turkey recombinants (rHVTs) expressing large amounts of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) VP2 antigen under the control of a human cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter or CMV/beta-actin chimera promoter (Pec promoter) (rHVT-cmvVP2 and rHVT-pecVP2) were constructed. rHVT-pecVP2, which expressed the VP2 antigen approximately four times more than did rHVT-cmvVP2 in vitro, induced complete protection against a lethal IBDV challenge in chickens, whereas rHVT-cmvVP2 induced 58% protection. All of the chickens vaccinated with rHVT-pecVP2 had a protective level of antibodies to the VP2 antigen at the time of challenge, whereas only 42 and 67% of chickens vaccinated with rHVT-cmvVP2 or the conventional live IBDV vaccine, respectively, had the antibodies. The antibody level of chickens vaccinated with rHVT-pecVP2 increased for 16 weeks, and the peak antibody level persisted throughout the experiment. The serum antibody titer at 30 weeks of age was about 20 or 65 times higher than that of chickens vaccinated with rHVT-cmvVP2 or the conventional live vaccine, respectively. rHVT-pecVP2, isolated consistently for 30 weeks from the vaccinated chickens, expressed the VP2 antigen after cultivation, and neither nucleotide mutations nor deletion in the VP2 gene was found. These results demonstrate that the amount of VP2 antigen expressed in the HVT vector was correlated with the vaccine efficacy against lethal IBDV challenge, and complete protective immunity that is likely to persist for the life of the chickens was induced.     

利用hTM表达细胞株制备抗人血栓调节蛋白单克隆抗体

为了研制抗人血栓调节蛋白(hTM)的单克隆抗体(mAb),给经CHO细胞免疫的BALB/c小鼠腹腔注射环磷酰胺诱导其对CHO和CHO-TM5细胞的共同抗原表位产生免疫耐受,再用高效表达hTM的CHO-TM5常规免疫小鼠．细胞融合后,ELISA筛选分泌抗hTM的特异性mAb阳性克隆,并将其腹腔注射BALB/c小鼠诱生腹水．腹水中的mAb经亲和层析纯化后,采用ELISA、流式细胞术、免疫组织化学染色法及Western blotting对其进行特异性鉴定．结果显示,共获得了5株阳性克隆,其中2F7可稳定分泌IgG1亚型的mAb,腹水抗体效价为1×10_-6,含量为19.56 g/L．2F7在体内与正常组织的交叉反应极少,对HUVEC、CHO-TM5有特异性结合,并可识别细胞裂解液还原条件下分子质量为105 ku左右的蛋白质多肽．2F7的解离常数K_d约为1.22×10_-9 mol/L．实验结果表明,通过采用新的技术路线,直接应用hTM表达细胞株免疫小鼠,成功制备了具有高度特异性与高亲和力的抗hTM mAb,为其他来源困难的蛋白质mAb制备提供了可借鉴的技术方案,同时2F7的研究鉴定为进一步应用抗hTM mAb进行hTM生物学功能及临床意义研究提供了新的物质基础．     

A mimotope from a solid-phase peptide library induces a measles virus-neutralizing and protective antibody response.

A solid-phase 8-mer random combinatorial peptide library was used to generate a panel of mimotopes of an epitope recognized by a monoclonal antibody to the F protein of measles virus (MV). An inhibition immunoassay was used to show that these peptides were bound by the monoclonal antibody with different affinities. BALB/c mice were coimmunized with the individual mimotopes and a T-helper epitope peptide (from MV fusion protein), and the reactivity of the induced anti-mimotope antibodies with the corresponding peptides and with MV was determined. The affinities of the antibodies with the homologous peptides ranged from 8.9 x 10(5) to 4.4 x 10(7) liters/mol. However, only one of the anti-mimotope antibodies cross-reacted with MV in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and inhibited MV plaque formation. Coimmunization of mice with this mimotope and the T-helper epitope peptide induced an antibody response which conferred protection against fatal encephalitis induced following challenge with MV and with the structurally related canine distemper virus. These results indicate that peptide libraries can be used to identify mimotopes of conformational epitopes and that appropriate immunization with these mimotopes can induce protective antibody responses.     

In vitro expression and monoclonal antibody of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase for infectious bursal disease virus

VP1, the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), has been suggested to play an essential role in the replication and translation of viral RNAs. In this study, we first expressed the complete VP1 protein gene in Escherichia coli (E. coli), and then the produced polyclonal antibody and four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to recombinant VP1 protein (rVP1) were shown to bind the IBDV particles in chicken embryo fibroblast and Vero cells. The epitopic analysis showed that mAbs 1D4 and 3C7 recognized respectively two distinct antigenic epitopes on the rVP1 protein, but two pair of mAbs 1A2/2A12 and 1E1/1H3 potentially recognized another two topologically related epitopes. Immunocytochemical stainings showed that VP1 protein formed irregularly shaped particles in the cytoplasm of the IBDV-infected cells. These results demonstrated that the mAbs to rVP1 protein could bind the epitopes of IBDV particles, indicating that the rVP1 protein expressed in E. coli was suitable for producing the mAb to VP1 protein of IBDV, and that the cytoplasm could be the crucial site for viral genome replication of IBDV.     

Antibodies to Antigenic Site A of Influenza H7 Hemagglutinin Provide Protection against H7N9 Challenge

Identifying major antigenic and protective epitopes of the H7 hemagglutinin (HA) will be important for understanding the antibody response to vaccines developed against the novel influenza H7N9 viruses that emerged in China in 2013. To facilitate antigenic characterization of the H7N9 HA and to develop reagents for evaluation of H7N9 candidate vaccines, we generated a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the HA of A/Shanghai/2/2013 using mammalian cell-derived virus-like particles (VLP) containing the H7 HA. Neutralizing antibodies identified an HA epitope corresponding to antigenic site A on the structurally similar influenza H3 hemagglutinin. Importantly, the neutralizing antibodies protect against A/Shanghai/2/2013 challenge. This antigenic site is conserved among many H7 viruses, including strains of both Eurasian and North American lineage, and the isolated neutralizing antibodies are cross-reactive with older H7 vaccine strains. The results indicate that the identified antigenic site is a potentially important protective epitope and suggest the potential benefit of cross-reactive antibody responses to vaccination with H7 candidate vaccines.     

Rotavirus vaccine administered parenterally induces protective immunity.

We performed experiments to determine whether parenteral immunization with SA11 rotavirus can induce active protective immunity in a rabbit model of rotavirus infection. After one or two intramuscular injections of 1 ml of live or formalin-inactivated SA11 virus, we evaluated the mucosal and serologic immune response and protection from challenge with a high dose of live, virulent rabbit (Ala) rotavirus. Inactivated SA11 virus preparations, evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a panel of VP4- and VP7-specific neutralizing and nonneutralizing monoclonal antibodies, did not show a loss of epitopes from the inactivation procedure compared with live virus. Administration of two doses of vaccine, one at zero days postvaccination (DPV) and a booster shot at 49 DPV, followed by challenge at 71 DPV with 3.5 x 10(5) PFU of Ala virus resulted in protection from challenge. None of the two-dose virus-vaccinated rabbits shed virus after challenge, while virus shedding was detected in all control rabbits (P = 0.001, Fisher's exact two-tailed test). Differences in total serum immunoglobulin (Ig) antirotavirus ELISA titers (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon's rank sum test) were observed between groups vaccinated with virus in aluminum phosphate or Freund's adjuvant but not between groups vaccinated with live or inactivated virus in either adjuvant. All rabbits given two doses of vaccine had detectable antirotavirus intestinal antibody of the IgG, but not IgA, isotype. After challenge, fourfold or greater increases in intestinal IgG antibody responses were observed in three rabbits, whereas all controls and all but one virus-vaccinated rabbit had an intestinal IgA antibody response. In contrast, vaccination of rabbits with one dose of SA11 followed by challenge at 21 DPV did not protect from challenge; no difference in the mean number of days of virus shedding between any of the vaccinated groups and controls was observed. A serologic, but not a mucosal, antibody response was observed after the one-dose vaccination regimen. Differences in serologic antibody titers were not observed between any of the one-dose virus-vaccinated groups. These data indicate that parenteral vaccination with two, but not one, doses of rotavirus in either Freund's adjuvant or aluminum phosphate can induce active protection from challenge.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

The analysis with monoclonal antibodies of the heterogeneity of Ia glycoproteins on chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

The accessible Ia molecules on the surface of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells were quantitated in the cellular radioimmunoassay with saturating concentrations of monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibody 21w4, like DA/2 antibody, recognizes monomorphic determinants of human Ia antigens. The amount of 21w4 or DA/2 bound to CLL cells derived from eight patients (varying from 2.6 to 13.9 x 10(5) molecules/cell) appears to be the maximum observed with the antibodies studied. Two other antibodies, 18d5 and 21r5, although also directed at nonpolymorphic Ia determinants, bind differentially to CLL cells, with the ratios of 21r5/21w4 and 18d5/21w4 varying from 0.08 to 0.90. Sequential immmunoprecipitation studies have established that the four epitopes 18d5, 21r5, 21w4, and DA/2 were present on the same molecules. All Ia molecules express 21w4 and DA/2 epitopes, whereas only certain subsets of Ia molecules carry accessible 21r5 or 18d5 epitopes. Competitive binding studies showed that the epitopes recognized by the four monoclonal antibodies were different. Monoclonal antibodies 21r5 and 21w4 did not inhibit each other's binding. Furthermore, binding of 21w4 to CLL cells potentiated the binding of 125I-21r5 IgG to the same cells, suggesting that binding of 21w4 antibody induces a conformational change in the molecule that renders 21r5 epitopes more accessible.     

Topologic mapping of protective and nonprotective epitopes on the variant surface glycoprotein of the WRATat 1 clone of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense

Monoclonal antibodies were used in competitive antibody binding assays to define and map epitopes on the variant surface glycoprotein of the WRATat 1 clone of T. b. rhodesiense. By using a panel of 30 WRATat 1-specific monoclonal antibodies, 16 epitopes were defined that fall into four clusters, having 1, 1, 3, and 11 distinct epitopes respectively. All epitopes were easily classified as being 1) exposed uniformly on the surface of the trypanosome, 2) exposed only in the region of the flagellar pocket, or 3) "buried", based on the ability or inability of the monoclonal antibodies to bind living trypanosomes in a fluid phase immunofluorescence assay. Monoclonal antibodies that bind exposed surface epitopes are protective, whereas only three of seven that bind exclusively to flagellar pocket epitopes are protective. None of the nine monoclonal antibodies that recognize buried epitopes are protective. Also, antibody-mediated immunity to WRATat 1 trypanosomes is not associated with any particular subclass of antibody. The IgM, IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, and IgA subclasses each contain examples of protective monoclonal antibodies.