Synthesis and immunological activity of a branched peptide carrying the T-cell epitope of gp43, the major exocellular antigen of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

The 43 kDa glycoprotein (gp43) of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the major diagnostic antigen of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a prevalent fungal infection in South America. A 15-mer sequence from gp43, denominated P10, induced T-CD4+ T helper 1 cellular immune responses in mice of three different haplotypes and protected against intratracheal challenge by a virulent isolate of P. brasiliensis. In an attempt to improve delivery of P10, a promiscuous antigen also presented by human leucocyte antigen-DR alleles, aiming at immunotherapy, we synthesized a multiple antigen peptide with the protective T-cell epitope expressed in a tetravalent 13-mer analog of P10 (M10). M10 induced specific lymph node cell proliferation in mice preimmunized with peptides in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). In addition, M10 immunization without CFA significantly protected intratracheally infected mice. We conclude that M10 is a candidate for an anti-PCM vaccine. In this report we describe: (1) the synthesis of M10; (2) the induction of M10-elicited T-cell response and (3) in vivo protection of mice immunized with M10 and challenged by a virulent strain of P. brasiliensis.