Chlamydia pneumoniae genome sequence analysis and identification of HLA-A2-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes recognized by infection-primed T cells

Vaccine. 2005 Oct 10;23(42):5028-37. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2005.04.048.

Abstract

In the present study, we performed in silico analysis of Chlamydia pneumoniae genome sequence to identify human HLA-A2-restricted T cell epitopes. Thirty-one Chlamydia-specific protein antigens were selected and peptides were derived thereof using an HLA-A2 epitope predictive algorithm. Firstly, we tested binding of 55 selected 9mer peptides to HLA-A2 in vitro. Next, infection of HLA-A2 transgenic mice with C. pneumoniae elementary bodies and assessment of effector CD8+ T cells allowed us to identify which of the epitopes binding to HLA-A2 in vitro were recognized by C. pneumoniae infection-primed CD8+ T cells. Finally, we could confirm that CD8+ T cells in association with HLA-A2 recognized the most reactive peptides when the corresponding full-length genes were used to DNA-immunize HLA-A2 transgenic mice. By using this approach, a novel HLA-A2-restricted epitope in the outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of C. pneumoniae was identified, which proved to mediate specific lysis of peptide-loaded target cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / genetics*
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / immunology*
  • Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Genome, Bacterial*
  • HLA-A2 Antigen / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / analysis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Animal
  • Peptides / immunology
  • Protein Binding
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-A2 Antigen
  • Peptides
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • OMPA outer membrane proteins
  • Interferon-gamma