Identification and characterization of peptides mimicking the epitopes of metalloprotease of Schistosoma japonicum

Cell Mol Immunol. 2005 Jun;2(3):219-23.

Abstract

In an attempt to isolate and characterize peptides mimicking epitopes of metalloprotease and explore their immunological protection against Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum), polyclonal anti-metalloprotease sera was prepared to screen a 12-mer random peptide library to isolate phages binding specially to antisera IgG. Then, phage ELISA, animal immunization, DNA sequencing, Western blotting and enzymatic activity neutralizing analysis were used to characterize the selected phage clones. All of ten randomly picked clones were shown to be positive. Five peptides of different amino acid sequences deduced from DNA sequences were obtained and two of them (peptides 2 and 3) could induce significant reduction (31.0% and 31.8%, respectively) in worm burden and high reduction (52.6% and 54.9%, respectively) in liver eggs per gram (LEPG), while, unexpectedly, others (peptides 1, 4 and 5) could not elicit enough protection against infection of S. japonicum. Peptides 2 and 3 could be recognized by S. japonicum infected mouse sera (IMS) and could elicit neutralizing Abs. The results show that peptides 2 and 3 are antigenic and immunogenic. They are true mimics of epitopes of metalloprotease and useful as novel vaccine candidates against S. japonicum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Gelatin / metabolism
  • Immunoblotting
  • Metalloproteases / chemistry*
  • Metalloproteases / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Molecular Mimicry*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / immunology*
  • Schistosoma japonicum / enzymology*
  • Schistosoma japonicum / immunology
  • Schistosomiasis japonica / immunology
  • Schistosomiasis japonica / prevention & control
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Epitopes
  • Peptides
  • Gelatin
  • Metalloproteases