Identification of novel CTL epitopes of CMV-pp65 presented by a variety of HLA alleles

Blood. 2004 Jan 15;103(2):630-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2003-03-0824. Epub 2003 Aug 28.

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T-cell immunity plays an important role in protection from CMV disease in immunocompromised patients. Identification of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes is essential for monitoring T-cell immunity and also for immunotherapy. In this and previous studies, CMV-pp65-specific CTL lines were successfully generated from all of 11 CMV-seropositive healthy donors, using pp65-transduced CD40-activated B (CD40-B) cells as antigen-presenting cells. By use of enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays, individual CTL epitopes could be mapped with truncated forms of the pp65 gene. For human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles with a known binding motif, CTL epitopes within the defined regions were predicted by computer algorithm. For HLA alleles without a known binding motif (HLA-Cw*0801, -Cw*1202, and -Cw*1502), the epitopes were alternatively identified by step-by-step truncations of the pp65 gene. Through this study, a total of 14 novel CTL epitopes of CMV-pp65 were identified. Interestingly, 3 peptides were found to be presented by 2 different HLA class I alleles or subtypes. Moreover, use of CD40-B cells pulsed with a mixture of synthetic peptides led to generation of pp65-specific CTL lines from some of seronegative donors. The study thus demonstrated an efficient strategy for identifying CTL epitopes presented by a variety of HLA alleles.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antigens, Viral / genetics
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Base Sequence
  • Cytomegalovirus / genetics
  • Cytomegalovirus / immunology*
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / blood
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / immunology*
  • DNA Primers
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Genes, Reporter
  • HLA-A Antigens / immunology
  • HLA-B Antigens / immunology
  • HLA-C Antigens / immunology
  • Humans
  • Mutagenesis
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / immunology*
  • Plasmids
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reference Values
  • Sequence Deletion
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*
  • Viral Matrix Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Matrix Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • DNA Primers
  • Epitopes
  • HLA-A Antigens
  • HLA-B Antigens
  • HLA-C Antigens
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Viral Matrix Proteins
  • cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa