Priming B cell-mediated anti-HIV envelope responses by vaccination allows for the long-term control of infection in macaques exposed to a R5-tropic SHIV

The potential of vaccine-elicited anti-HIV envelope antibodies to control HIV-infection was evaluated by immunizing macaques with the HIV envelope protein and transiently depleting them of their CD8+ cells before intravenous challenge with the pathogenic CCR5-tropic SIV/HIV chimeric virus, SHIV(SF162P4). Although sterilizing immunity was not achieved, all vaccinated animals effectively controlled infection and remained free of disease for the duration of observation (over 3 years). In contrast, during the same period, the control animals progressed to disease. Both the vaccinees and the controls developed robust cell-mediated antiviral and neutralizing antibody responses following infection. A comparative analysis of these responses suggests that the more effective long-term control of infection by the vaccinated animals is due to the more rapid development of anti-HIV envelope antibodies. These studies suggest that priming by vaccination of B cell anti-HIV envelope responses maybe crucial for the long-term control of HIV infection.     

Use of class II tetramers for identification of CD4+ T cells

Multivalent MHC class II molecules containing peptide antigens are useful tools for the detection of antigen specific human CD4+ T cells. Tetramers produced by exogenous peptide loading onto empty class II molecules are comparable to tetramers with peptide tethered to the class II chain covalently, but have many practical advantages. Conditions for optimal peptide loading to generate tetramers are discussed and optimal conditions of using tetramers for staining T cells are examined. As the frequency of antigen specific CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood is low, we demonstrate that an in vitro expansion step is effective in detecting low frequency T cells. Two new applications with tetramers, their uses for mapping T cell epitopes and for the detection of low affinity T cells are described. In a clinical setting, potential applications include using these reagents for monitoring disease progression during clinical intervention.     

Anti-T-cell strategies in the treatment of allergic disease

Specific allergen immunotherapy (SIT) has been shown to be effective in modulating allergic responses in diseases such as rhinitis and asthma. However, the ability of whole allergen to cross link mast cell bound IgE, resulting in release of mediators such as histamine, has limited the application of this therapy to carefully selected patients who have failed conventional pharmacotherapy. The use of peptide sequences corresponding to T cell epitopes of the allergen has been postulated as an alternative to SIT in which high molar doses of T cell epitope can be delivered over a shorter time period and with improved safety. Using peptides from the sequence of the major cat allergen, Fel d 1, we have demonstrated the ability to induce transient T cell activation, resulting in isolated late asthmatic reactions, which are followed by prolonged periods of allergen-specific hyporesponsiveness, both to peptide re-challenge and to cutaneous challenge with whole allergen. Thus, peptide therapy may prove safe and efficacious in the treatment of allergic diseases.     

Differences between T-cell reactivities to major myelin protein-derived peptides in opticospinal and conventional forms of multiple sclerosis and healthy controls

In Japanese, susceptibility to the conventional form of multiple sclerosis (C-MS) is associated with the HLA-DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101 haplotype while susceptibility to the opticospinal form of MS (OS-MS) is associated with HLA-DPA1*0202-DPB1*0501. To clarify the characteristics of T cells autoreactive to myelin proteins in each MS subtype, we established T-cell lines reactive to such myelin antigens as myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) from 5 of 10 OS-MS patients, 6 of 11 C-MS patients and 7 of 13 healthy controls (HCs), and T-cell epitopes and their restriction molecules were determined. We found that (a) intermolecular epitope spreading was found to be significantly more frequent in MS patients than in HCs (P=0.0128), (b) intramolecular epitope spreading also tended to occur more frequently in MS patients than in HCs (P=0.0584), (c) in OS-MS, HLA-DR-restricted and MOG-autoreactive T cells were more frequently established as compared with those reactive to MBP or PLP epitopes and (d) in C-MS, HLA-DQ-restricted and PLP-autoreactive T cells dominated those autoreactive to MBP or MOG epitopes. A DPB1*0501-restricted MBP-reactive T-cell clone from a patient with OS-MS provided evidence that the first HLA class II anchor amino acid of peptide bound to disease-susceptible DP5 molecule was distinct from that for the DR2 molecule. Taken together, these differences in specificities of myelin-autoreactive T cells between C-MS and OS-MS as well as the difference in the anchor motif of the binding peptides between each MS subtype-susceptible HLA class II molecule may contribute to the development of distinct clinical phenotypes.     

Optimizing vaccine design for cellular processing,MHC binding and TCR recognition

In this review we describe the methods and processes that our group have developed while aiming to test and design multiepitope vaccines for infectious diseases and cancer. Testing the performance of vaccines composed of epitopes restricted by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules is accomplished by in vitro antigenicity assays, as well as in vivo immunogenicity assays in HLA transgenics. The efficiency by which multiepitope vaccines are processed is optimized by spacer residues, which are designed to facilitate generation by natural processing of the various class I- and class II-restricted epitopes. Methods and strategies to test and optimize HLA binding affinity, patient coverage from the vaccine construct, and TCR recognition of HLA/epitope complexes are also discussed.     

Recognition of a novel naturally processed, A2 restricted, HCV-NS4 epitope triggers IFN-gamma release in absence of detectable cytopathicity

Using short term CTL lines derived from HLA A2/K^b transgenic mice and IFN-gamma release assays we demonstrate that the NS4.1769 epitope, is generated from natural processing of the NS4 antigen, and presented in the context of the A2/K^b molecules. Interestingly, T cell recognition of the naturally processed form of the NS4.1769 epitope was associated with significant IFN-gamma release, but no direct cytolytic activity. Epitopes of this phenotype might be of interest, in terms of therapy of chronic HCV infection by associating the benefit of localized lymphokine release with low or absent direct cytopathicity.     

Induction of a cytotoxic T cell response by co-injection of a T helper peptide and a cytotoxic T lymphocyte peptide in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA): Further enhancement by pre-injection of IFA alone

We have previously demonstrated that it is possible to induce a consistent and strong cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to synthetic peptides, corresponding to poorly immunogenic malaria CTL epitopes, by co-injecting them with peptides representing defined T helper (Th) epitopes in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). In this study we have tested different immunization protocols to improve further the elicitation of the CTL response. We show that the CTL response to a mixture of Th + CTL peptides administered in IFA was further enhanced by a previous injection of the Th epitope peptide in IFA. Moreover, we found that the response could be significantly augmented by a pre-injection of IFA alone. This enhancement was observed only if the Th epitope was also present in the second injection. The number of lymph node cells recovered was 2–3-fold higher in mice pre-injected with IFA, but the increase in specific CTL activity, expressed as lytic units per animal, by pre-injection of IFA was at least 10–20-fold. Thus, pre-injection of IFA clearly increases the magnitude of a subsequent CTL response.     

不同来源乙肝表面抗原的细胞免疫学对比研究

目的　研究不同来源乙肝表面抗原诱导CD8 抗原特异性的细胞毒T淋巴细胞反应(CTL)的差异及T细胞产生细胞因子的能力 ,从而对各种来源乙型肝炎表面抗原 (HBsAg)的免疫原性有更充分的评价。方法　不同来源HBsAg分别免疫BALB c小鼠 ,于免疫后不同时间制备脾脏单个核细胞 (MNC) ,再以相应的HBsAg体外刺激 ,酶联免疫方法 (ELISA)测定细胞因子分泌水平 ;以Na2 5 1CrO4标记靶细胞 ,测定CTL反应活性 ;应用流式细胞仪分析T细胞亚群。结果　HM HBsAg免疫小鼠 10d后的脾细胞产生IFN γ水平最高 ,而在免疫后 2 0d和 2 5d ,IL 2的水平显著高于其它各组 ,CD3 分子脾淋巴细胞显著高于其它各实验组 (P <0 .0 5) ;plasma HBsAg免疫小鼠的脾淋巴细胞产生IFN γ和IL 2水平较低 ,但在免疫 2 5d对P815 HBs的杀伤性最强 ;HM HBsAg和SSC HBsAg免疫后CD4 CD8- 脾淋巴细胞比例显著增高 (P <0 .0 5) ;CD4- CD8 细胞所占百分比各组间及与空白对照组间差异无显著性 (P >0 .0 5)。结论　不同来源HBsAg诱导的细胞免疫反应类型和程度不同     

一个能诱生戊型肝炎病毒中和抗体的ORF2编码蛋白短片段

目的：比较戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）第4基因型ORF2编码蛋白片段pN472-C617（aa472～617）和pN477-C613（aa477～613）的免疫原性，找到能诱生HEV中和抗体的ORF2编码蛋白的更短片段。方法：表达和纯化pN472-C617和pN477-C613，分别免疫BALB/c小鼠，以间接ELISA检测免疫血清的抗体效价，并以基于PCR的体外中和试验检测免疫血清的中和活性。结果：pN472-C617和pN477-C613可在大肠杆菌高效可溶性表达，纯化后的重组蛋白能在小鼠体内诱导出高效价的抗体。基于PCR的体外中和试验显示pN472-C617免疫血清可有效中和HEV，阻断其在敏感细胞表面的吸附和细胞内复制；而两端仅比pN472-C617各短5个氨基酸的pN477-C613的免疫血清不具有中和HEV的活性。结论：重组蛋白pN472-C617具有良好的抗原性和诱生中和抗体的能力，是目前文献报道中含有HEV中和抗原表位的最短ORF2编码蛋白片段，可作为重组亚单位候选疫苗用于HEV疫苗的开发。     

戊型肝炎病毒Ⅰ、Ⅱ与Ⅲ、Ⅳ基因型B细胞抗原表位的异同

目的：制备戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)缅甸株和墨西哥株ORF2重组蛋白(p166Bur和p166Mex)的单克隆抗体(McAbs)，用于分析HEV不同基因型B细胞抗原表位的特点。方法：将免疫BALB/C小鼠脾细胞与SP2/0骨髓瘤细胞融合，获得分泌抗-p166Bur和抗-p166Mex McAbs的杂交瘤细胞株，然后采用ELISA和免疫印迹法测定McAbs与不同基因型HEV ORF2编码蛋白p166的免疫反应性。结果：获得4株杂交瘤细胞株，即分泌抗-p166Bur McAbs的2G2、2B1以及分泌抗-p166Mex McAbs的D8G10和E5E12，其中2B1分泌的McAb仅能与第Ⅰ、Ⅱ基因型编码的重组蛋白结合，而其余3株分泌的McAbs既能与Ⅰ、Ⅱ基因型HEV的p166重组蛋白发生反应，也能与Ⅲ、Ⅳ基因型的p166蛋白反应。结论：HEV第Ⅰ、Ⅱ基因型与Ⅲ、Ⅳ基因型ORF2编码蛋白既有共同又有不同的B细胞抗原表位。