Human CD8+ T Cells Target Multiple Epitopes in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Polymerase

D Burbulla, PS Günther, JK Peper, G Jahn… - Viral …, 2016 - liebertpub.com
D Burbulla, PS Günther, JK Peper, G Jahn, KM Dennehy
Viral Immunology, 2016liebertpub.com
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a serious health problem in young children,
immunocompromised patients, and the elderly. The development of novel prevention
strategies, such as a vaccine to RSV, is a high priority. One strategy is to design a peptide-
based vaccine that activates appropriate CD8+ T-cell responses. However, this approach is
limited by the low number of RSV peptide epitopes defined to date that activate CD8+ T
cells. We aimed to identify peptide epitopes that are presented by common human leukocyte …
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a serious health problem in young children, immunocompromised patients, and the elderly. The development of novel prevention strategies, such as a vaccine to RSV, is a high priority. One strategy is to design a peptide-based vaccine that activates appropriate CD8+ T-cell responses. However, this approach is limited by the low number of RSV peptide epitopes defined to date that activate CD8+ T cells. We aimed to identify peptide epitopes that are presented by common human leukocyte antigen types (HLA-A*01, -A*02, and -B*07). We identify one novel HLA-A*02-restricted and two novel HLA-A*01-restricted peptide epitopes from RSV polymerase. Peptide-HLA multimer staining of specific T cells from healthy donor peripheral blood mononuclear cell, the memory phenotype of such peptide-specific T cells ex vivo, and functional IFNγ responses in short-term stimulation assays suggest that these peptides are recognized during RSV infection. Such peptides are candidates for inclusion into a peptide-based RSV vaccine designed to stimulate defined CD8+ T-cell responses.
Mary Ann Liebert