SELECTION OF ANTIGENIC AND IMMUNOGENIC MIMICS OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS USING SERA FROM PATIENTS

Using sera from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients and noninfec ted subjects to screen random peptide libraries displayed on phage, we selected peptides specifically reacting with sera from infected patie nts. These phage-borne peptides were shown to mimic distinct HCV deter minants. They detected in all cases the presence of anti-HCV Abs in a large panel of patients' sera, thus demonstrating the high sensitivity of the selected peptides as diagnostic markers. In addition, this dia gnostic approach allowed a detailed characterization of the individual humoral response to viral infection. Phage-displayed HCV mimics were substitutes for the authentic HCV epitopes in inducing a strong specif ic response against HCV when used as immunogens in mice. These results support the search for HCV mimics with the potential to elicit a prot ective immune response as leads for the development of a mimotope-base d vaccine against viral infection.