Mimotopes of the hyper variable region 1 of the hepatitis C virus induce cross-reactive antibodies directed against discontinuous epitopes

Rosamaria Roccasecca, Antonella Folgori, Bruno Bruni Ercole, Giulia Puntoriero, Armin Lahm, Silvia Zucchelli, Rosalba Tafi, Monica Pezzanera, Giovanni Galfre, Anna Tramontano, M. U. Mondelli, Antonello Pessi, Alfredo Nicosia, Riccardo Cortese, Annalisa Meola

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo su rivistaArticolo in rivistapeer review

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause worldwide of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and the development of an effective vaccine represents a high priority goal. The hyper variable region 1 (HVR1) of the second envelope protein (E2) of HCV contains a principal neutralizing determinant, but it is highly variable among different isolates and it is involved in the escape from host immune response. To be effective, a vaccine should elicit a cross-reacting humoral response against the majority of viral variants. We show that it is possible to achieve a broadly cross-reactive immune response in rabbits by immunization with mimotopes of the HVR1, selected from a specialized phage library using HCV patients' sera. Some of the cross-reacting anti-mimotope antibodies elicited in rabbits, recognize discontinuous epitopes in a manner similar to those induced by the virus in infected patients.

Lingua originaleInglese
pagine (da-a)485-492
Numero di pagine8
RivistaMolecular Immunology
Volume38
Numero di pubblicazione6
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2001
Pubblicato esternamente

Fingerprint

Entra nei temi di ricerca di 'Mimotopes of the hyper variable region 1 of the hepatitis C virus induce cross-reactive antibodies directed against discontinuous epitopes'. Insieme formano una fingerprint unica.

Cita questo