Identification of T cell and linear B cell epitopes on African horse sickness virus serotype 4 proteins VP1-1, VP2, VP4, VP7 and NS3

• Published in: Vaccine 2024-01, Vol.42 (2), p.136-145
• Main Authors: Faber, Erika, van Schalkwyk, Antoinette, Ivy Tshilwane, Selaelo, Van Kleef, Mirinda, Pretorius, Alri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: African Horse Sickness; African Horse Sickness Virus; Animals; Antigens; Capsid Proteins; CD4 antigen; CD8 antigen; Cells; Conserved epitopes; Cytotoxicity; Disease; Epitopes; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; Experiments; Horses; Illnesses; Immunization; Immunological memory; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Linear B cell epitopes; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; New generation AHS peptide-based vaccines; Overlapping synthetic peptides; Peptides; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Proteins; Serogroup; Synthesis; T cell epitopes; Vaccines; Virulence; Viruses; VP1 protein
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.12.028

•AHSV4 VP1, -2, -4, -7 and NS3 contain regions with CD8+ T cell epitopes.•Overlapping peptides spanning these AHSV4 proteins were synthesized.•Recall immune assays identified T cell and linear B cell epitopes.•Conserved T cell and linear B cell epitopes will be used in NGV. The viral proteins VP1-1, VP2, VP4, VP7 and NS3, of African horse sickness virus serotype 4 (AHSV4), have previously been identified to contain CD8+ T cell epitopes. In this study, overlapping peptides spanning the entire sequences of these AHSV4 proteins were synthesized and used to map epitopes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from five horses immunized with an attenuated AHSV4 were stimulated in vitro with the synthesized peptides. Various memory immune assays were used to identify the individual peptides that contain CD8+ T cell epitopes, CD4+ T cell epitopes and linear B cell epitopes. The newly discovered individual peptides of AHSV4 proteins VP1-1, VP4, VP7 and/or NS3 that contain CD8+ T cell, CD4+ T cell or linear B cell epitopes could contribute to the design and development of new generation AHS peptide-based vaccines and therapeutics.