A T-helper cell epitope overlaps a major B-cell epitope in human papillomavirus type 18 E2 protein. |
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Authors: | M Lehtinen G Stellato H Hy?ty P Nieminen E Vesterinen J Paavonen |
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Affiliation: | Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland. |
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Abstract: | Cultivated CD4+ T-helper cells from two patients with cervical adenocarcinoma showed responses to a peptide EKTGILTVTYHSETQRTK derived from an E2 protein of human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV 18), but not to a corresponding HPV 16 peptide (HKSAIVTLTYDSEWQRDQ). Serum antibodies in the HPV 18 peptide were also demonstrated in these patients. The GILT motif resembles a common pattern present in many T-cell epitopes, and is located at the beginning of an 11-amino acid-long A-helix structure close to the carboxyterminal end of HPV 18 E2. We conclude that two epitopes (a T-helper cell epitope and a B-cell epitope) overlap in the HPV 18 E2. |
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