Short peptide sequences containing MHC class I and/or class II epitopes linked to nano-beads induce strong immunity and inhibition of growth of antigen-specific tumour challenge in mice

• Published in: Vaccine 2004-11, Vol.23 (2), p.258-266
• Main Authors: Fifis, Theodora, Mottram, Patricia, Bogdanoska, Violeta, Hanley, Jennifer, Plebanski, Magdalena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Neoplasm; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Epitopes - chemistry; Epitopes - immunology; Epitopes - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - chemistry; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - pharmacology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - chemistry; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - pharmacology; Immune system; Immunization; Immunogenicity; Lymphocytes; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microbiology; Nanotechnology; Peptides; Peptides - chemical synthesis; Peptides - chemistry; Peptides - immunology; Peptides - pharmacology; Studies; T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Tumors; Tumours; Vaccine; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Vaccines, Conjugate - administration & dosage; Vaccines, Conjugate - immunology; Vaccines, Synthetic - administration & dosage; Vaccines, Synthetic - immunology; Viral infections
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2004.05.022

Peptide based vaccines offer practical advantages, but unmodified peptides usually require an adjuvant or delivery vehicle to promote immunogenicity. When peptides containing ovalbumin (OVA) derived CD4 and CD8 T cell epitopes were conjugated to 0.05 μm nano-beads, they gave strong immune responses and inhibition of growth of tumour cells expressing the CD8 T cell epitope with MHC class I. These responses were inducible with both high (50 μg) and low (5 μg) peptide doses after a single immunisation. The helper CD4 T cell epitope was unnecessary for induction of CD8 T cell or tumour challenge responses. However, the CD4 T cell epitope contained a B cell epitope and triggered strong antibody responses. This simple approach offers a convenient experimental tool and a potentially useful clinical method for peptide immunisation.