DCs pulsed with novel HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitopes against hepatitis C virus induced a broadly reactive anti-HCV-specific T lymphocyte response.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine the capacity of dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with single or multiple-peptide mixtures of novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) epitopes to stimulate HCV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) effector functions.

Methods

A bioinformatics approach was used to predict HLA-A2-restricted HCV-specific CTL epitopes, and the predicted peptides identified from this screen were synthesized. Subsequent IFN-γ ELISPOT analysis detected the stimulating function of these peptides in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from both chronic and self-limited HCV infected subjects (subjects exhibiting spontaneous HCV clearance). Mature DCs, derived in vitro from CD14(+) monocytes harvested from the study subjects by incubation with appropriate cytokine cocktails, were loaded

SUBMITTER: Guo Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3373515 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature