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Immunogenicity and vaccine efficacy of synthetic peptides containing Semliki Forest virus B and T cell epitopes

Eijkman-Winkler Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Academic Hospital Utrecht, HP G04.614, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands

A synthetic peptide that contains a Semliki Forest virus (SFV) B cell epitope, located at amino acid positions 240 to 255 of the E2 protein, and an SFV T helper (T_h) cell epitope, located at positions 137 to 151 of the E2 protein, evoked high titres of SFV-reactive antibodies in H-2^d mice. Although the peptide-induced antibodies did not neutralize SFV in vitro, 70 to 100% of the peptide-immunized mice were protected against SFV, even when viral challenge was presented 4 months after immunization. The protection could be transferred by anti-peptide serum, indicating that antibodies were responsible for the protection. When the T_h cell epitope of this protective peptide was replaced by an influenza virus T_h cell epitope or by another SFV T_h cell epitope, the resulting peptides induced lower non-neutralizing SFV-reactive antibody titres and protected a correspondingly lower percentage of mice (50% and 30%, respectively). A peptide with the same T_h cell epitope as the best protective peptide but with a less effective SFV B cell epitope protected only 33% of the mice. These results indicate that protection against SFV by a synthetic peptide is primarily dependent on its ability to induce adequate amounts of antibodies with relevant specificity and sufficient affinity; the ability to induce a relevant (SFV-specific) T memory response played only a minor role in protection.

Received 15 January 1992; accepted 7 May 1992.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. J. Atkins, B. J. Sheahan, and P. Liljeström The molecular pathogenesis of Semliki Forest virus: a model virus made useful? J. Gen. Virol., September 1, 1999; 80(9): 2287 - 2297. [Full Text]