An antigen (Ag), as defined by reactivity with a monoclonal antibody (mAb 10G), was found on the cell wall surface and on the plasma membrane of Candida albicans yeast cells (Li, R. K., and Cutler, J. E. (1991) J. Gen. Microbiol. 137, 455-464). The 10G Ag from the cell surface location was solubilized by treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol and Zymolyase. Antigenic activity of the extract was lo...

We previously reported an epitope presenting vector, pCI, a derivative of a human invariant chain (Ii) expression vector, in which the class II associated invariant chain peptide (CLIP, Ii p89-101) could be substituted with antigenic peptides. In the current study, we used this vector to develop a new expression cloning system to identify CD4+ T cell epitopes. We inserted double-stranded oligo ...

Clinical trials of malaria vaccines have confirmed that parasite-derived T-cell epitopes are required to elicit consistent and long-lasting immune responses. We report here the identification and functional characterization of six T-cell epitopes that are present in the merozoite surface protein-1 of Plasmodium vivax (PvMSP-1) and bind promiscuously to four different HLA-DRB1* alleles. Each of ...

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are crucial for immune control of viral infections. "Functional avidity," defined by the sensitizing dose of exogenously added epitope yielding half-maximal CTL triggering against uninfected target cells (SD(50)), has been utilized extensively as a measure of antiviral efficiency. However, CTLs recognize infected cells via endogenously produced epitopes, and the r...

Single amino acid substitutions at TCR contacts may transform a natural peptide Ag in CTL ligands with partial agonist, antagonist, or null activity. We obtained peptide variants by changing nonanchor amino acid residues involved in MHC class I binding. These peptides were derived from a subdominant HLA-A2-presented, latent membrane protein 2-derived epitope expressed in EBV-infected cells and ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic debilitating disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) in humans. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) remains the primary animal model of MS. MS/EAE are considered to be autoimmune diseases mediated by CD4 T helper (TH) cells. The role of B cells and antibody is under debate. Previous studies established B cell dependent (induced with re...

We previously reported that a liposome-mannan vaccine (L-mann) of Candida albicans induces production of mouse antibodies that protect against disseminated candidiasis and vaginal infection. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal antibody (MAb) B6.1, specific for a C. albicans cell surface beta-1,2-mannotriose, protects mice against both infections. Another IgM MAb, termed B6, which is specific for ...

epitope tagging is a method of expressing proteins whereby an epitope for a specific monoclonal antibody is fused to a target protein using recombinant dna techniques. the aim of this study was to sub-clone the peroxisomal protein (pep) cdna into a mammalian expression vector leading to the formation of a  chimeric pep-cdna containing the flag epitope. the flag-pep recombinant cdna was construc...

OBJECTIVE To gain structural insights into the autoantigenic properties of GAD65 in type 1 diabetes, we analyzed experimental epitope mapping data in the context of the recently determined crystal structures of GAD65 and GAD67, to allow "molecular positioning" of epitope sites for B- and T-cell reactivity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data were assembled from analysis of reported effects of mu...