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Identification of an HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitope in rotavirus VP6 protein

Institute of Immunology, PLA, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China

Correspondence
Yu-Zhang Wu
wuyuzhang{at}yahoo.com

The function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in rotavirus (RV) infection in humans is poorly understood. To date, no RV-specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I-restricted T-cell epitopes have been described. In this study, four peptides derived from human RV Wa strain VP6 protein were predicted by computer algorithms and verified by an HLA*0201-binding assay. Two peptides with high affinity for HLA-A*0201 molecules were further assessed. The CTLs induced in vitro by P340–348 (TLLANVTAV)-loaded autologous dendritic cells from peripheral blood lymphocytes of HLA-A*0201-matched healthy donors released gamma interferon specifically upon stimulation with P340–348-loaded T2 cells. The CTLs lysed both P340–348-loaded T2 cells and human RV Wa strain-infected HLA-A*0201⁺ Caco-2 cells in an antigen-specific and HLA-A*0201-restricted manner. At the same time, P340–348 was shown to be immunogenic in vivo in HLA-A*0201/Kb transgenic mice. It is proposed that P340–348 is an HLA-A*0201-restricted CTL epitope.