Babesia bovis merozoite apical membrane polypeptide Bv60 was found to be rhoptry associated by immuno-electron microscopy and was redesignated rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1). The N-terminal 300 amino acids of RAP-1 have a high level of sequence similarity to the same N-terminal region of p58, its homolog from Babesia bigemina. However, the interspecies conserved sequences did not include ...

To determine alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) immunogenicity in vivo, the presence of antibodies in sera of 60 hepatocellular carcinoma, 15 liver cirrhosis, and 15 chronic hepatitis patients was evaluated by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation analyses using purified human AFP. High titers of anti-AFP immunoglobulins were detected in 14 hepatocellular carcinomas (P = 0.0006), 3 liver cirrhosis (P =...

Antibody-protein interactions play a critical role in the humoral immune response. B-cells secrete antibodies, which bind antigens (e.g., cell surface proteins of pathogens). The specific parts of antigens that are recognized by antibodies are called B-cell epitopes. These epitopes can be linear, corresponding to a contiguous amino acid sequence fragment of an antigen, or conformational, in whi...

To determine a-fetoprotein (AFP) immunogenicity in vivo, the presence of antibodies in sera of 60 hepatocellular carcinoma, 15 liver cirrhosis, and 15 chronic hepatitis patients was evaluated by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation analyses using purified human AFP. High titers of anti-AFP immunoglobulins were detected in 14 hepatocellular carcinomas (P 5 0.0006), 3 liver cirrhosis (P 5 0.0...

Mutations in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genomes facilitate escape from virus-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in persistently infected chimpanzees. Our previous studies demonstrated that many of the amino acid substitutions in HCV epitopes prevented T-cell receptor recognition or binding to class I major histocompatibility complex molecules. Here we report that mutations within HCV epitopes also cause ...

Exosomes derived from dendritic cells (dexosomes) induce potent antitumor immune responses in mice. We have shown that the efficacy of dexosome-elicited antitumor immunity relies on the presence of both T- and B-cell dexosome-associated epitopes. Hence, the inclusion of B-cell epitopes in anticancer vaccines is crucial for the success of this immunotherapeutic intervention.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a variable RNA virus that can readily establish persistent infection. Cellular immune responses are important in the early control of the virus. Evidence from animal models suggests that mutation in epitopes recognized by CD8+ T lymphocytes may play an important role in the establishment of persistence but in human persistent infection, equivalent evidence is lacking....

Background & Objectives: Hepatitis B is one of the major health problems in the world. Health care workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HBV infection and the immune response to HBV vaccine among the HCWs in Babol, northern...