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A new epitope peptide derived from hepatitis C virus 1b possessing the capacity to induce cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in HCV1b-infected patients with HLA-A11, -A31, and -A33

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Abstract

Background

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) frequently causes chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma after long-term persistent infection. Among various genotypes of HCV, HCV1b is resistant to standard interferon therapy, and thus the development of new treatment modality is needed.

Results

To provide a scientific basis for specific immunotherapy for HCV1b, we investigated HCV1b-derived epitope peptides recognized by human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A11, -A31, or -A33-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs), and report here three novel vaccine candidate peptides selected by both antibody screening and CTL-inducing capacity from among 46 peptides of conserved regions of HCV1b sequences with binding motifs to HLA-A11, -A31, and -A33. Significant levels of IgG reactive to each of the three peptides were detected in the plasma of more than 50% of the HCV1b+ patients. One peptide at positions 30–39 of the core protein induced peptide-specific CTLs from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HLA-A11+, -A31+, and -A33+ patients. The other two peptides at positions 35–43 of the core protein and at positions 918–926 of the non-structural protein 2 also induced peptide-specific CTLs from the PBMCs of HLA-A11+ and -A33+ patients.

Conclusion

Therefore, the peptide at positions 30–39 of the core protein could be an appropriate target molecule of specific immunotherapy for all HLA-A11+, -A31+, and -A33+ patients with HCV1b-related diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan

    Satoko Matsueda, Akira Yamada, Yukari Takao, Mayumi Tamura, Nobukazu Komatsu, Shigeru Yutani & Kyogo Itoh

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan

    Yukari Takao, Tatsuya Ide & Michio Sata

  3. Kurume University Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, 67, Asahi-machi, Kurume, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan

    Akira Yamada, Nobukazu Komatsu & Kyogo Itoh

  4. Center of the 21st Century COE Program for Medical Science, Kurume University, 67, Asahi-machi, Kurume, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan

    Akira Yamada, Nobukazu Komatsu & Kyogo Itoh

Authors
  1. Satoko Matsueda
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  2. Akira Yamada
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  3. Yukari Takao
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  4. Mayumi Tamura
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  5. Nobukazu Komatsu
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  6. Shigeru Yutani
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  7. Tatsuya Ide
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  8. Michio Sata
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  9. Kyogo Itoh
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Correspondence to Akira Yamada.

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Matsueda, S., Yamada, A., Takao, Y. et al. A new epitope peptide derived from hepatitis C virus 1b possessing the capacity to induce cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in HCV1b-infected patients with HLA-A11, -A31, and -A33. Cancer Immunol Immunother 56, 1359–1366 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-007-0284-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-007-0284-5

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