Protective immunity to rabbit oral and cutaneous papillomaviruses by immunization with short peptides of L2, the minor capsid protein

The papillomavirus minor capsid protein, L2, has been shown to exhibit immunogenicity, whereby a variety of B-cell epitopes, predominantly in the amino terminus of L2, have been deduced. However, immunity to L2 in vivo has not been examined extensively. Notably, a common neutralization epitope for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 16 was mapped to amino acids (aa) 108 to 120. The objectives of this study were to derive antisera from rabbits using the corresponding sequences from rabbit viruses and to assess the ability of these peptides to protect against infection. Synthetic peptides consisting of two overlapping sequences each in the region of aa 94 to 122 of the rabbit oral (ROPV) and cottontail rabbit (CRPV) papillomaviruses were used to immunize rabbits. Rabbits were then infected with both ROPV and CRPV and monitored for the development of oral and cutaneous papillomas, respectively. Serum derived from rabbits immunized with either of the two peptides was shown to (i) react to purified L2 from the cognate virus, (ii) specifically recognize L2 within virus-infected cells, and (iii) neutralize virus in vitro. Following viral challenge, cutaneous papilloma growth was completely absent in rabbits immunized with either CRPV peptide. Likewise, ROPV peptide-immunized rabbits were protected from oral papillomatosis. Challenge of CRPV peptide-immune rabbits with the viral genome resulted in efficient papilloma growth, suggesting a neutralizing antibody-mediated mechanism of protection. These results afford in vivo evidence for the immunogenicity provided by a distinct region of L2 and further support previous evidence for the ability of this region to elicit antiviral immunity.     

Immunization with viruslike particles from cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) can protect against experimental CRPV infection.

We tested the ability of vaccination with virus-like particles (VLPs) to protect domestic rabbits against papillomas induced by the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV). A recombinant baculovirus system that expressed only the L1 major papillomavirus structural protein or L1 plus the minor L2 protein was used in insect cells as the source of VLPs. Groups of 10 rabbits were immunized with native or denatured VLPs from CRPV or type 1 bovine papillomavirus by using Freund's adjuvant. Alum was used as the adjuvant for an additional group immunized with CRPV L1-L2 VLPs. Animals were challenged with 5 x 10(10) and 2 x 10(11) particles on opposing flanks. No protection was seen in rabbits immunized with native or denatured bovine papillomavirus L1-L2 or with denatured CRPV L1-L2. In these groups, the lower and higher challenge doses resulted in 27 of 30 animals with extensive papillomas, with each of the remaining animals having a smaller number of persistent papillomas. Progression to carcinoma developed in 20 rabbits. Animals inoculated with native CRPV VLPs composed of L1 alone or L1-L2 developed many fewer lesions; the lower and higher challenge doses resulted in 17 of 29 and 5 of 29 rabbits, respectively, with no lesions, and the remainder developed only one to eight papillomas, which all regressed except for those on 1 rabbit. None developed cancer within 1 year of infection. Rabbits vaccinated with native CRPV VLPs developed high-titer antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on native VLPs, and passive transfer of serum or immunoglobulin G from rabbits immunized with CRPV VLPs protected against CRPV challenge. We conclude that native VLPs can induce antibody-mediated, type-specific protection against experimental papillomavirus infection.     

Protection of rabbits against challenge with rabbit papillomaviruses by immunization with the N terminus of human papillomavirus type 16 minor capsid antigen L2

Current L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines provide type-restricted protection against a small subset of the human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes associated with cervical cancer, necessitating continued cytologic screening of vaccinees. Cervical cancer is most problematic in countries that lack the resources for screening or highly multivalent HPV VLP vaccines, suggesting the need for a low-cost, broadly protective vaccinogen. Here, N-terminal L2 polypeptides comprising residues 1 to 88 or 11 to 200 derived from HPV16, bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1), or cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) were produced in bacteria. Rabbits were immunized with these N-terminal L2 polypeptides and concurrently challenged with CRPV and rabbit oral papillomavirus (ROPV). Vaccination with either N-terminal L2 polypeptides of CRPV effectively protected rabbits from CRPV challenge but not from papillomas induced by cutaneous challenge with CRPV genomic DNA. Furthermore, papillomas induced by CRPV genomic DNA deficient for L2 expression grew at the same rate as those induced by wild-type CRPV genomic DNA, further suggesting that the L2 polypeptide vaccines lack therapeutic activity. Neutralizing serum antibody titers of >15 correlated with protection (P < 0.001), a finding consistent with neutralizing antibody-mediated protection. Surprisingly, a remarkable degree of protection against heterologous papillomavirus types was observed after vaccination with N-terminal L2 polypeptides. Notably, vaccination with HPV16 L2 11-200 protected against cutaneous and mucosal challenge with CRPV and ROPV, respectively, papillomaviruses that are evolutionarily divergent from HPV16. Further, vaccination with HPV16 L2 11-200 generates broadly cross-neutralizing serum antibody, suggesting the potential of L2 as a second-generation preventive HPV vaccine antigen.     

Complete protection from papillomavirus challenge after a single vaccination with a vesicular stomatitis virus vector expressing high levels of L1 protein

We generated an attenuated, recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing high levels of the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) L1 protein from an upstream site in the VSV genome. Rabbits vaccinated once with this VSV-L1 recombinant produced high levels of anti-L1 antibody and were completely protected against papilloma formation after challenge with CRPV. In contrast, animals vaccinated only once with a VSV vector expressing lower levels of L1 from a downstream site in the VSV genome generated lower levels of L1 antibody and demonstrated only incomplete protection from papilloma formation after challenge. We conclude that the level of L1 protein expression is critical in generating complete immunity with a single-dose vaccine.     

Papillomavirus L1 capsids agglutinate mouse erythrocytes through a proteinaceous receptor.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) composed of L1 derived from bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1), several human papillomavirus types, or cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) agglutinated mouse but not human or rat erythrocytes. Treatment of mouse erythrocytes with trypsin prevented hemagglutination (HA) by BPV-1. Sera from rabbits immunized with native CRPV VLPs, which protect against experimental CRPV infection, exhibited high titers of antibodies that inhibited CRPV VLP HA activity, while sera from rabbits immunized with denatured CRPV VLPs or native BPV VLPs, which do not protect against CRPV infection, were not inhibitory. Testing for HA inhibition is a rapid and simple method for examining the serological relatedness of papillomaviruses and measuring protective antibody titers after VLP vaccination.     

Intranasal vaccination with a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus expressing cottontail rabbit papillomavirus L1 protein provides complete protection against papillomavirus-induced disease

Immunizations with live recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (rVSV) expressing foreign viral proteins have successfully protected animals from challenges with several heterologous viruses. We developed an rVSV expressing the major capsid protein (L1) of cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) and tested the efficacy of protection following CRPV challenge. An rVSV expressing L1 of CRPV (VSV-L1) was characterized for the protective ability afforded by intranasal, intradermal, or intramuscular vaccination in rabbits subsequently challenged with CRPV. Protein expression of L1 in VSV-L1 was confirmed by radioimmunoprecipitation assays. Nuclear localization of L1 was demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence assays. Immunized rabbits elicited significant VSV neutralization and VLP-L1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titers. VSV-L1 vaccination was not associated with weight loss or any other adverse clinical signs in the rabbit model. VSV shedding in nasal secretions occurred in some rabbits, peaking at 4 to 6 days after intranasal vaccination, with no further shedding after day 6. Specific humoral immunity to the L1 protein was consistently seen after a single VSV-L1 vaccination when administered through an intradermal or intramuscular route or after a boost via the intranasal route. Rabbits were completely protected from CRPV-induced papillomas after VSV-L1 vaccination and boost given intranasally or intramuscularly. Vaccination with VSV-L1 is a novel approach to prevent papillomavirus-induced disease and demonstrates a potential strategy for developing a human papillomavirus vaccine that can be given without injection.     

T-cell response to cottontail rabbit papillomavirus structural proteins in infected rabbits.

Cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV)-induced papillomas progress at a high frequency to carcinomas and thus can serve as a model for high-cancer-risk human papillomavirus infection. Previously, we have shown that antibodies to nonstructural and structural proteins are detected in only a fraction of papilloma-bearing animals. However, the antibody response to structural proteins drastically increases as papillomas progress to carcinoma (Y.-L. Lin, L. A. Borenstein, R. Selvakumar, R. Ahmed, and F. O. Wettstein, J. Virol. 67:382-389, 1993). Here we have monitored the cellular immune response to viral proteins during the course of infection and particularly during progression from papilloma to carcinoma. This was done by measuring the in vitro proliferation response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to CRPV structural proteins L1 and L2. The proliferating cells were identified as T cells by selective removal of B or T cells. In general, the T-cell response was low for rabbits at the papilloma stage and none responded to L2. Lymphocytes from animals with carcinomas more frequently and more strongly responded to L1, and more than half also responded to L2. In addition to stimulation of PBMCs, L1- and L2-specific proliferation could also be demonstrated with lymph node and spleen cells. Overall, our data show that progression of papilloma to carcinoma is associated with an increased T-cell response to CRPV structural proteins in addition to an increased humoral response. This greater immune reactivity, however, was not associated with a selectively increased expression of structural proteins, since RNA isolated from papillomas and carcinomas contained similar relative levels of late and early RNA as shown by dot blot analysis. Thus, the heightened immune reactivity seen in carcinoma-bearing rabbits most likely reflects greater stimulation of the immune system owing to dissemination of the tumor. These findings suggest that increased immune responses to papillomavirus proteins may be prognostic of progression to carcinoma and particularly of the development of metastases.     

Immunization with viruslike particles induces long-term protection of rabbits against challenge with cottontail rabbit papillomavirus.

Rabbits were immunized with recombinant baculovirus-produced virus-like particles (VLPs) of cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) to determine whether these antigens could induce long-term protection against experimental challenge with CRPV. Infectious CRPV and human papillomavirus type 11 L1 VLPs were used as positive and negative control immunogens, respectively. Three groups of immunized animals were challenged with 10-fold serial dilutions of infectious CRPV at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after immunizations. Antibody titers in serum reached 1:10,000 immediately after the final booster immunization and then decayed to 1:150 at 6 months and 1:100 at 12 months in unchallenged rabbits. Serum neutralization titers followed similar kinetics. Papillomas grew on control-immunized rabbits at sites challenged with 10(-1) (100% of sites), 10(-2) (96% of sites), 10(-3) (63% of sites), and 10(-4) (13% of sites) dilutions of virus. At 2 weeks after CRPV L1 VLP immunizations, the rabbits were completely protected against virus challenge. At both 6 and 12 months after CRPV L1 VLP immunizations, strong protection was also observed. In the last two groups, three of seven rabbits were completely protected and only 4 of 14 or 29% of sites challenged with 10(-1 dilution of virus grew papillomas. Papillomas growing at these four sites were also reduced in size (3.5 +/- 0.7 mm) at 50 days postchallenge compared with sites challenged with 10(-1) dilution on control-immunized rabbits (13.2 +/- 4.2 mm). The results demonstrate that strong and long-lasting protection against experimental challenge with papillomaviruses can be achieved with VLP immunogens.     

Vaccination of rabbits with an adenovirus vector expressing the papillomavirus E2 protein leads to clearance of papillomas and infection

Cervical cancer arises from lesions caused by infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Therefore, vaccination against HPV could prevent carcinogenesis by preventing HPV infection or inducing lesion regression. HPV E2 protein is an attractive candidate for vaccine development because it is required for papilloma formation, is involved in all stages of the virus life cycle, and is expressed in all premalignant lesions as well as some cancers. This study reports vaccination against E2 protein using a rabbit model of papillomavirus infection. A recombinant adenovirus (Ad) vector expressing the E2 protein of cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) was tested for therapeutic efficacy in CRPV-infected rabbits. Primary immunization with the Ad-E2 vaccine, compared to immunization with a control Ad vector, reduced the number of papilloma-forming sites from 17 of 45 to 4 of 45. After booster immunization, vaccinated rabbits formed no new papillomas versus an additional 23 papillomas in rabbits that received the control vector. Papillomas in the Ad-E2 vaccinees were significantly smaller than those in the control rabbits, and all four papillomas in the Ad-E2 vaccinated rabbits regressed. No CRPV DNA was detected either in the regression sites or in sites that did not form papillomas, indicating that the vaccination led to clearance of CRPV from all infected sites.     

Identification of two cross-neutralizing linear epitopes within the L1 major capsid protein of human papillomaviruses

The neutralizing activities of polyclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) obtained by immunization of mice with L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) were investigated by using pseudovirion infectivity assays for human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16), HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-45, HPV-58, and HPV-59 to obtain a better definition of cross-neutralization between high-risk HPVs. In this study, we confirmed and extended previous studies indicating that most genital HPV genotypes represent separate serotypes, and the results suggest that the classification of serotypes is similar to that of genotypes. In addition, three cross-neutralizing MAbs were identified (HPV-16.J4, HPV-16.I23, and HPV-33.E12). MAb HPV-16.J4 recognized a conserved linear epitope located within the FG loop of the L1 protein, and HPV-16.I23 recognized another located within the DE loop. The results suggested that reactivity of MAb HPV-16.I23 to L1 protein is lost when leucine 152 of the HPV-16 L1 protein is replaced by phenylalanine. This confirmed the existence of linear epitopes within the L1 protein that induce neutralizing antibodies, and this is the first evidence that such linear epitopes induce cross-neutralization. However, the cross-neutralization induced by L1 VLPs represents less than 1% of the neutralizing activity induced by the dominant conformational epitopes, and it is questionable whether this is sufficient to offer cross-protection in vivo.     

Development of AAVLP(HPV16/31L2) particles as broadly protective HPV vaccine candidate

The human papillomavirus (HPV) minor capsid protein L2 is a promising candidate for a broadly protective HPV vaccine yet the titers obtained in most experimental systems are rather low. Here we examine the potential of empty AAV2 particles (AAVLPs), assembled from VP3 alone, for display of L2 epitopes to enhance their immunogenicity. Insertion of a neutralizing epitope (amino acids 17-36) from L2 of HPV16 and HPV31 into VP3 at positions 587 and 453, respectively, permitted assembly into empty AAV particles (AAVLP(HPV16/31L2)). Intramuscularly vaccination of mice and rabbits with AAVLP(HPV16/31L2)s in montanide adjuvant, induced high titers of HPV16 L2 antibodies as measured by ELISA. Sera obtained from animals vaccinated with the AAVLP(HPV16/31L2)s neutralized infections with several HPV types in a pseudovirion infection assay. Lyophilized AAVLP(HPV16/31L2) particles retained their immunogenicity upon reconstitution. Interestingly, vaccination of animals that were pre-immunized with AAV2--simulating the high prevalence of AAV2 antibodies in the population--even increased cross neutralization against HPV31, 45 and 58 types. Finally, passive transfer of rabbit antisera directed against AAVLP(HPV16/31L2)s protected na?ve mice from vaginal challenge with HPV16 pseudovirions. In conclusion, AAVLP(HPV16/31L2) particles have the potential as a broadly protective vaccine candidate regardless of prior exposure to AAV.     

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor priming plus papillomavirus E6 DNA vaccination: effects on papilloma formation and regression in the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus--rabbit model

A cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) E6 DNA vaccine that induces significant protection against CRPV challenge was used in a superior vaccination regimen in which the cutaneous sites of vaccination were primed with an expression vector encoding granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a cytokine that induces differentiation and local recruitment of professional antigen-presenting cells. This treatment induced a massive influx of major histocompatibility complex class II-positive cells. In a vaccination-challenge experiment, rabbit groups were treated by E6 DNA vaccination, GM-CSF DNA inoculation, or a combination of both treatments. After two immunizations, rabbits were challenged with CRPV at low, moderate, and high stringencies and monitored for papilloma formation. As expected, all clinical outcomes were monotonically related to the stringency of the viral challenge. The results demonstrate that GM-CSF priming greatly augmented the effects of CRPV E6 vaccination. First, challenge sites in control rabbits (at the moderate challenge stringency) had a 0% probability of remaining disease free, versus a 50% probability in E6-vaccinated rabbits, and whereas GM-CSF alone had no effect, the interaction between GM-CSF priming and E6 vaccination increased disease-free survival to 67%. Second, the incubation period before papilloma onset was lengthened by E6 DNA vaccination alone or to some extent by GM-CSF DNA inoculation alone, and the combination of treatments induced additive effects. Third, the rate of papilloma growth was reduced by E6 vaccination and, to a lesser extent, by GM-CSF treatment. In addition, the interaction between the E6 and GM-CSF treatments was synergistic and yielded more than a 99% reduction in papilloma volume. Finally, regression occurred among the papillomas that formed in rabbits treated with the E6 vaccine and/or with GM-CSF, with the highest regression frequency occurring in rabbits that received the combination treatment.     

Ubiquitin-fused and/or multiple early genes from cottontail rabbit papillomavirus as DNA vaccines

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have the potential to prevent cervical cancer by preventing HPV infection or treating premalignant disease. We previously showed that DNA vaccination with the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) E6 gene induced partial protection against CRPV challenge and that the vaccine's effects were greatly enhanced by priming with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). In the present study, two additional strategies for augmenting the clinical efficacy of CRPV E6 vaccination were evaluated. The first was to fuse a ubiquitin monomer to the CRPV E6 protein to enhance antigen processing and presentation through the major histocompatibility complex class I pathway. Rabbits vaccinated with the wild-type E6 gene plus GM-CSF or with the ubiquitin-fused E6 gene formed significantly fewer papillomas than the controls. The papillomas also required a longer time to appear and grew more slowly. Finally, a significant proportion of the papillomas subsequently regressed. The ubiquitin-fused E6 vaccine was significantly more effective than the wild-type E6 vaccine plus GM-CSF priming. The second strategy was to vaccinate with multiple CRPV early genes to increase the breadth of the CRPV-specific response. DNA vaccines encoding the wild-type CRPV E1-E2, E6, or E7 protein were tested alone and in all possible combinations. All vaccines and combinations suppressed papilloma formation, slowed papilloma growth, and stimulated subsequent papilloma regression. Finally, the two strategies were merged and a combination DNA vaccine containing ubiquitin-fused versions of the CRPV E1, E2, and E7 genes was tested. This last vaccine prevented papilloma formation at all challenge sites in all rabbits, demonstrating complete protection.     

Antibody-mediated neutralization in vivo of infectious papillomaviruses.

Specific antibody-mediated neutralization of infectious human papillomavirus type 11 (HPV-11) was achieved in the athymic mouse xenograft system, in which HPV-11 induced morphological transformation of human foreskin. Virus-specific neutralization was demonstrated by the ability of an HPV-11-specific polyclonal antiserum to neutralize HPV-11 infectivity and not bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) or cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) infectivity. In all three virus infectivity systems, neutralization was detected by the failure of the virus suspension to induce morphological transformation of the appropriate skin xenografts placed under the renal capsule of athymic mice. Rabbit polyclonal antisera were also generated against intact virions of both BPV-1 and CRPV, and neutralizing activity was tested in the xenograft system with BPV-1 and fetal bovine skin and with CRPV and rabbit ear skin. The three polyclonal antisera contained virus-specific neutralizing antibodies, demonstrating that neutralizing epitopes existed on all three papillomaviruses and that these epitopes were antigenically non-cross-reactive. The athymic mouse xenograft system was a useful model for detecting papillomavirus-specific neutralizing antibodies and offers the only opportunity for the analysis of neutralizing antibodies to human papillomaviruses.     

Intracutaneous DNA vaccination with the E8 gene of cottontail rabbit papillomavirus induces protective immunity against virus challenge in rabbits

The cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV)-rabbit model has been used in several studies for testing prophylactic and therapeutic papillomavirus vaccines. Earlier observations had shown that the CRPV nonstructural genes E1, E2, and E6 induced strong to partial protective immunity against CRPV infection. In this study, we found that CRPV E8 immunization eliminated virus-induced papillomas in EIII/JC inbred rabbits (100%) and provided partial protection (55%) against virus challenge in outbred New Zealand White rabbits. CRPV-E8 is a small open reading frame, coding for a 50-amino-acid protein, that is colinear with the CRPV E6 gene and has features similar to those of the bovine papillomavirus and human papillomavirus E5 genes. Papillomas that grew on E8-vaccinated outbred rabbits were significantly smaller than those on vector-vaccinated rabbits (P < 0.01; t test). Delayed-type hypersensitivity skin tests showed that some of the E8-vaccinated rabbits had positive responses to E8-specific peptides.     

The viral E4 protein is required for the completion of the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus productive cycle in vivo

Expression of the papillomavirus E4 protein correlates with the onset of viral DNA amplification. Using a mutant cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) genome incapable of expressing the viral E4 protein, we have shown that E4 is required for the productive stage of the CRPV life cycle in New Zealand White and cottontail rabbits. In these lesions, E4 was not required for papilloma development, but the onset of viral DNA amplification and L1 expression were abolished. Viral genome amplification was partially restored when mutant genomes able to express longer forms of E4 were used. These findings suggest that efficient amplification of the CRPV genome is dependent on the expression of a full-length CRPV E4 protein.     

Vesicular stomatitis virus-based therapeutic vaccination targeted to the E1, E2, E6, and E7 proteins of cottontail rabbit papillomavirus

Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated benign and malignant lesions are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Vaccination against HPV early proteins could provide an effective means of treating individuals with established infections. Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vectors have been used previously to elicit strong humoral and cellular immune responses and develop prophylactic vaccines. We have shown that VSV vectors also can be used to elicit therapeutic immunity in the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV)-rabbit model of high-risk HPV infection. In the present study, three new VSV vectors expressing the CRPV E1, E2, or E7 protein were produced and compared to the previously generated VSV-E6 vector for therapeutic efficacy. To determine whether vaccine efficacy could be augmented by simultaneous vaccination against two CRPV proteins, the four vaccines were delivered individually and in all possible pairings to rabbits 1 week after CRPV infection. Control rabbits received the recombinant wild-type VSV vector or medium only. Cumulative papilloma volumes were computed for analysis of the data. The analyses showed that VSV-based vaccination against the E1, E2, E6, or E7 protein significantly reduced papilloma volumes relative to those of the controls. Furthermore, VSV-based CRPV vaccination cured all of the papillomas in 5 of 30 rabbits. Of the individual vaccines, VSV-E7 was the most effective. The VSV-E7 vaccine alone was the most effective, as it reduced cumulative papilloma volumes by 96.9% overall, relative to those of the controls, and ultimately eliminated all of the disease in all of the vaccinees. Vaccine pairing was not, however, found to be beneficial, suggesting antigenic competition between the coexpressed CRPV proteins. These preclinical results, obtained in a physiologically relevant animal model of HPV infection, demonstrate that VSV vectors deserve serious consideration for further development as therapeutic antitumor vaccines.     

Poliovirus-specific major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted cytolytic T-cell epitopes in mice localize to neutralizing antigenic regions.

A major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response is induced in BALB/c mice upon immunization with poliovirus serotype 1 (Mahoney strain). A similar class I-restricted response is also induced upon immunization with purified VP1 capsid proteins. Thus, poliovirus-specific MHC class I CTL responses can be induced independently of viral infection in murine hosts. In experiments using recombinant vaccinia virus vectors expressing different segments of the poliovirus capsid proteins and synthetic peptides, two regions of the VP1 capsid protein appear to contain epitopes recognized by this bulk CTL population. These epitope regions contain a Kd-restricted peptide-binding motif. Interestingly, each of these CTL epitopes is located near previously defined neutralizing antigenic sites.     

表达轮状病毒SA11株Vp4的抗原表位诱导病毒中和抗体生成

以昆虫病毒Flockhousevirus（FHV）外壳蛋白为载体的外源抗原表位表达系统（FHV-RNA2载体系统）．在重组杆状病毒和重组pET系统中构建和表达了SA11Vp4胰酶切割位点两侧和重叠切割位点3个抗原表位氨基酸序列（抗原表位A,aa223~242;抗原表位B,aa243～262;抗原表位C,aa234～251）,并对其免疫原性进行了研究。结果表明：这3个抗原表位能诱导动物产生抗同源氨基酸序列的抗体和抗同源病毒（SA11）感染性的血清中和抗体。研究结果提示：RVVp4胰酶切割位点区氨基酸序列除了具有胰酶切割增强病毒感染力外,还具有诱导动物机体产生血清中和抗体的能力,是RV重组抗原表位亚单位疫苗研究中重要的抗原表位氨基酸序列。     

Identification of neutralizing conformational epitopes on the human papillomavirus type 31 major capsid protein and functional implications

The aim of this study was to characterize the conformational neutralizing epitopes of the major capsid protein of human papillomavirus type 31. Analysis of the epitopes was performed by competitive epitope mapping using 15 anti‐HPV31 and by reactivity analysis using a HPV31 mutant with an insertion of a seven‐amino acid motif within the FG loop of the capsid protein. Fine mapping of neutralizing conformational epitopes on HPV L1 was analyzed by a new approach using a system displaying a combinatorial library of constrained peptides exposed on E. coli flagella. The findings demonstrate that the HPV31 FG loop is dense in neutralizing epitopes and suggest that HPV31 MAbs bind to overlapping but distinct epitopes on the central part of the FG loop, in agreement with the exposure of the FG loop on the surface of HPV VLPs, and thus confirming that neutralizing antibodies are mainly located on the tip of capsomeres. In addition, we identified a crossreacting and partially crossneutralizing conformational epitope on the relatively well conserved N‐terminal part of the FG loop. Moreover, our findings support the hypothesis that there is no correlation between neutralization and the ability of MAbs to inhibit VLP binding to heparan sulfate, and confirm that the blocking of virus attachment to the extracellular matrix is an important mechanism of neutralization.