RECOGNITION OF B-CELL AND T-CELL EPITOPES BY CATTLE IMMUNIZED WITH A SYNTHETIC PEPTIDE-CONTAINING THE MAJOR IMMUNOGENIC SITE OF VP1 FMDV 01-CAMPOS

The precise location of B and T cell epitopes have been established in a peptide containing the major immunogenic site (residues 135-160) of FMDV strain 01 Campos (01C) VP1. The peptide (p135-160), administered free or conjugated to bovine serum albumin, induced complete protecti on in guinea pigs and a strong neutralizing antibody (NAb) response in cattle. Using a set of partially overlapping peptides it was shown th at although several a cell epitopes were distributed along the p135-16 0, the residues responsible for the induction of NAb were restricted t o the amino acids 135-144. In addition, bovines immunized with the p13 5-160 showed a strong proliferative response to this peptide but a ver y poor response against purified virus. Two T-epitopes were located in the 135-160 sequence: one on the region 135-144 and the other in the region 150-160. The immunodominance of these two T cell epitopes was c onfirmed in cattle immunized with inactivated virus vaccines. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.