Article

Viral peptide immunogens: current challenges and opportunities.

Variation Biotechnologies Inc., 22 de Varennes, Suite 210, Gatineau, QC J8T 8R1, Canada.
Journal of Peptide Science (impact factor: 1.8). 01/2008; 13(12):776-86. DOI:10.1002/psc.896 pp.776-86
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Synthetic peptide vaccines have potential to control viral infections. Successful experimental models using this approach include the protection of mice against the lethal Sendai virus infection by MHC class I binding CTL peptide epitope. The main benefit of vaccination with peptide epitopes is the ability to minimize the amount and complexity of a well-defined antigen. An appropriate peptide immunogen would also decrease the chance of stimulating a response against self-antigens, thereby providing a safer vaccine by avoiding autoimmunity. In general, the peptide vaccine strategy needs to dissect the specificity of antigen processing, the presence of B-and T-cell epitopes and the MHC restriction of the T-cell responses. This article briefly reviews the implications in the design of peptide vaccines and discusses the various approaches that are applied to improve their immunogenicity.

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Keywords

antigen processing
 
appropriate peptide immunogen
 
B-and T-cell epitopes
 
control viral infections
 
discusses
 
dissect
 
immunogenicity
 
lethal Sendai virus infection
 
main benefit
 
MHC class
 
MHC restriction
 
peptide epitopes
 
peptide vaccine strategy
 
peptide vaccines
 
self-antigens
 
Successful experimental models
 
Synthetic peptide vaccines
 
T-cell responses
 
various approaches