Immunization with Immune Complexes Modulates the Fine Specificity of Antibody Responses to a Flavivirus Antigen.

ABSTRACT:

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The antibody response to proteins may be modulated by the presence of preexisting antigen-specific antibodies and the formation of immune complexes (ICs). Effects such as a general increase or decrease of the response as well as epitope-specific phenomena have been described. In this study, we investigated influences of IC immunization on the fine specificity of antibody responses in a structurally well-defined system, using the envelope (E) protein of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus as an immunogen. TBE virus occurs in Europe and Asia and-together with the yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, and Japanese encephalitis viruses-represents one of the major human-pathogenic flaviviruses. Mice were immunized with a dimeric soluble form of E (sE) alone or in complex with mono

SUBMITTER: Tsouchnikas G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4505641 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature