Epitope mapping of pathogenic Leptospira LipL32

Aims:  To identify LipL32 epitopes and to evaluate their capability to recognize specific antibodies using ELISA.
Methods and Results:  Epitope mapping by means of a library of overlapping peptide fragments prepared by simultaneous and parallel solid phase peptide synthesis on derivatized cellulose membranes (SPOT synthesis) was carried out. Eighty-seven overlapping decapentapeptides corresponding to the complete sequence of LipL32 were synthesized. According to spot-image intensities, the most reactive sequences were localized in regions 151–177 (sequence AAKAKPVQKLDDDDDGDDTYKEERHNK) and 181–204 (sequence LTRIKIPNPPKSFDDLKNIDTKKL). Two peptides (P1 and P2) corresponding to these sequences were synthesized, and their reactivity evaluated using ELISA test.
Conclusions:  Epitope identification and analysis suggested the existence of two antigenic regions within LipL32. These LipL32 reactive regions were highly conserved among antigenically variants of Leptospira spp. isolates. Peptides containing these regions (P1 and P2) showed a good capability for anti-leptospiral antibody recognition.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This finding could have potential relevance not only for serodiagnosis but also as a starting point for the characterization of targets for vaccine design.     

Using homology modeling to interrogate binding affinity in neutralization of ricin toxin by a family of single domain antibodies

In this report we investigated, within a group of closely related single domain camelid antibodies (V_HHs), the relationship between binding affinity and neutralizing activity as it pertains to ricin, a fast‐acting toxin and biothreat agent. The V1C7‐like V_HHs (V1C7, V2B9, V2E8, and V5C1) are similar in amino acid sequence, but differ in their binding affinities and toxin‐neutralizing activities. Using the X‐ray crystal structure of V1C7 in complex with ricin's enzymatic subunit (RTA) as a template, Rosetta‐based homology modeling coupled with energetic decomposition led us to predict that a single pairwise interaction between Arg29 on V5C1 and Glu67 on RTA was responsible for the difference in ricin toxin binding affinity between V1C7, a weak neutralizer, and V5C1, a moderate neutralizer. This prediction was borne out experimentally: substitution of Arg for Gly at position 29 enhanced V1C7's binding affinity for ricin, whereas the reverse (ie, Gly for Arg at position 29) diminished V5C1's binding affinity by >10 fold. As expected, the V5C1_R29G mutant was largely devoid of toxin‐neutralizing activity (TNA). However, the TNA of the V1C7_G29R mutant was not correspondingly improved, indicating that in the V1C7 family binding affinity alone does not account for differences in antibody function. V1C7 and V5C1, as well as their respective point mutants, recognized indistinguishable epitopes on RTA, at least at the level of sensitivity afforded by hydrogen‐deuterium mass spectrometry. The results of this study have implications for engineering therapeutic antibodies because they demonstrate that even subtle differences in epitope specificity can account for important differences in antibody function.     

信号肽和辅助性T细胞表位增强HBV核心抗原DNA疫苗诱导的免疫应答

为增强HBVDNA疫苗的免疫效率 ,于HBV核心抗原 (HBcAg)基因 5′末端引入人IL 2信号肽和一个通用型辅助性T淋巴细胞表位基因 ,并构建成DNA疫苗 ,转染COS7细胞后经ELISA检测出分泌型HBcAg。通过肌肉注射途径分别将这种DNA疫苗和编码天然HBcAg的DNA疫苗免疫BALB/c小鼠 ,检测小鼠的血清抗体、T细胞增殖和细胞毒性T淋巴细胞反应 ,结果表明前者诱导细胞和体液免疫应答的强度均明显超过后者 ,且更趋向于T辅助细胞 1(Th1)型免疫应答 ,故其对慢性HBV感染的治疗可能有潜在的应用价值     

EB病毒gp125蛋白的B细胞表位预测

目的预测EB病毒gp125蛋白的B细胞表位。方法基于EB病毒gp125蛋白的氨基酸序列,采用亲水性参数、可及性参数、极性参数和抗原性指数方案等,辅以对gp125蛋白的二级结构中的柔性区域的分析,预测gp125蛋白的B细胞表位。结果最有可能的B细胞表位位于gp125蛋白N端第403-416、565—574、578—584、618-630和832—843区段及其附近。结论用多参数预测EB病毒gp125蛋白的B细胞表位,为制备具有高灵敏度和高特异性的鼻咽癌诊断试剂及研究抗肿瘤转移靶向治疗的分子免疫学奠定基础。     

Localization of the HIV-1 gp120 Conformational Epitope Recognized by Virus-Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies 2G12

A phage peptide library was used to select peptides interacting with virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAb) 2G12 which recognize a discontinuous surface epitope of HIV-1 gp120. With the published X-ray data, gp120 regions involved in the antigenic determinant were predicted. Binding with mAb 2G12 was ascribed to Thr297, Phe383, Tyr384, Arg419, Ile240, Thr415, Leu416, Pro417, Lys421, and Trp112. Though distant in the gp120 sequence, these residues are close in space and form the 2G12 epitope on the gp120 surface.     

人乳头瘤病毒-6 L1蛋白B-细胞优势表位作为多肽疫苗的研究

本研究分析了人乳头瘤病毒-6型L1外壳蛋白之B-细胞优势表位,并拟以此为基础制作表位多肽疫苗。研究中采用Goldkey和PC／Gene软件系统综合分析HPV6之L1蛋白B-细胞优势表位后,Fmoc固相合成表位多肽,通过HPLC纯化和毛细管电泳分析其纯度。与佐剂完全乳化后,免疫小鼠,进行动物水平的免疫效果评价。取免疫小鼠血清,与HPV-6 DNA阳性的尖锐湿疣患者疣体组织上清液结合,以鉴定免疫小鼠所产生抗体的特异性。发现L1蛋白第425-439位和第486-500位具有较高的免疫原性,可明显诱导小鼠血清抗体滴度升高,且该抗体与人尖锐湿疣疣体组织上清液呈阳性反应。说明所选这两个肽段为HPV6之L1蛋白的B-细胞优势表位,但诱导产生的抗体是否具有功能特异性,正在做进一步研究。     

鉴定单克隆抗体识别蛋白质抗原表位方法的建立

为了建立鉴定治疗性单克隆抗体识别蛋白质抗原表位的方法,选择程序死亡受体-1(PD-1)作为目的蛋白。基于丙氨酸扫描策略,建立了定点突变技术和哺乳动物细胞表达系统相结合的抗原突变体快速表达方法,确定了真核表达元件扩增和细胞转染表达的条件。共表达了150个PD-1蛋白突变体,鉴定了这些突变体与抗PD-1抗体帕博利珠单抗的结合能力。根据蛋白突变体与抗体的结合力并结合蛋白结构分析确定了帕博利珠单抗的抗原表位,与已报道的基于晶体结构的抗原表位高度一致,表明本方法操作简单、准确性高,可用于治疗性单克隆抗体的抗原表位作图。     

传染性支气管炎病毒N蛋白CTL表位与BF2*15鸡MHC I基序的相互作用

【目的】近年来鸡传染性支气管炎病毒在国内鸡群呈现流行趋势,尤其是变异毒株的出现,加剧了对鸡群的危害。鸡主要组织相容复合体蛋白(MHC I)通过特定的基序结合抗原表位多肽,进而识别感染病毒的细胞并引起免疫反应,达到清除病毒的效果。鉴定BF2*15鸡主要组织相容复合体(MHC I)的结合基序。【方法】采用同源建模、分子动力学和分子对接等计算方法,构建了传染性支气管炎病毒(IBV)N蛋白表位多肽和鸡MHC I BF2*15之间的复合物结构,来探索BF2*15识别抗原表位多肽的潜在结合基序。【结果】通过对该复合物的相互作用关系分析,鉴定出BF2*15鸡主要组织相容复合体(MHC I)的一条潜在结合基序\"x-Arg-xx-x-Arg\"。【结论】解释了传染性支气管炎病毒N蛋白CTL表位与BF2*15鸡MHC I基序的相互作用原理,该研究结果对了解传染性支气管炎病毒免疫机制以及基于特定基序筛选和设计通用疫苗具有借鉴意义。     

The diagnostic potential of MPT63‐derived HLA‐A*0201‐restricted CD8+T‐cell epitopes for active pulmonary tuberculosis

MPT63 protein is found only in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, including M. tuberculosis and M. bovis. Detection of MPT63‐specific IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells could be useful for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) diseases. In the present study, the HLA‐A*0201 restriction of ten predicted MPT63‐derived CD8 ⁺ T‐cell epitopes was assessed on the basis of T2 cell line and HLA‐A*0201 transgenic mice. The diagnostic potential of immunogenic peptides in active pulmonary TB patients was evaluated using an IFN‐γ enzyme‐linked immunospot assay. It was found that five peptides bound to HLA‐A*0201 with high affinity, whereas the remaining peptides exhibited low affinity for HLA‐A*0201. Five immunogenic peptides (MPT63_18–26, MPT63_29–37, MPT63_20–28, MPT63_5–14 and MPT63_10–19) elicited large numbers of cytotoxic IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells in HLA‐A*0201 transgenic mice. Each of the five immunogenic peptides was recognized by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 45% to 73% of 40 HLA‐A*0201 positive TB patients. The total diagnostic sensitivity of the five immunogenic peptides was higher than that of a T‐SPOT.TB assay (based on ESAT‐6 and CFP‐10) (93% versus 90%). It is noticeable that the diagnostic sensitivity of the combination of five immunogenic peptides and T‐SPOT.TB assay reached 100%. These MPT63‐derived HLA‐A*0201‐restricted CD8 ⁺ T‐cell epitopes would likely contribute to the immunological diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection and may provide the components for designing an effective TB vaccine.     

Induction of multiple cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in mice by a multiepitope DNA vaccine against dengue virus serotype 1

Dengue virus (DENV) is still a major threat to human health in most tropical and subtropical countries and regions. In the present study, a multi‐epitope DNA vaccine that encodes 15 immunogenic and conserved HLA‐A*0201‐, HLA‐A*1101‐, HLA‐A*2402‐restricted CTL epitopes from DENV serotype 1 (DENV‐1) was constructed based on the eukaryotic expressing plasmid pcDNA^TM3.1/myc‐His(?) A. Immunization of HLA‐A*0201, HLA‐A*1101 and HLA‐A*2402 transgenic mice with the recombinant plasmid pcDNA^TM3.1/myc‐His(?) A‐DENV‐1‐Meg resulted in significantly greater IFN‐γ‐secreting T‐cell responses against most (14/15) CTL epitopes than occurred in mice immunized with the empty plasmid pcDNA^TM3.1/myc‐His(?) A. Additionally, the epitope‐specific T cells directed to some epitopes secreted not only IFN‐γ but also IL‐6 and/or TNF‐α. Finally, the induced epitope‐specific T cells also efficiently lysed epitope‐pulsed splenocytes and DENV‐1‐infected splenic monocytes. The present study confirms the immunogenicity of multi‐epitope DENV vaccine, suggesting that it may contribute to the development of a universal DENV vaccine.