ANALYSIS OF EPITOPIC RESIDUES INTRODUCED INTO THE HYBRID PEPTIDE VACCINES PREPARED ACCORDING TO THE CASSETTE THEORY

In our previous study, we prepared a synthetic peptide vaccine (46F/HA 127-133/54A) against influenza strain A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) virus by int roducing haemagglutinin (HA) 127-133 to an I-A(b,d) binding component that consisted of residues 43-46 and 54-58 of an I-A(b,d) binding pept ide, 46F50V54A. This hybrid peptide vaccine induced considerable immun ological responses against A/Aichi/2/68 as well as against the peptide vaccine in I-A(b) mice. In the present study, we have attempted to in crease the immunogenicity of the peptide vaccine by introducing HA pep tides of various lengths into the I-A(b,d) binding components consisti ng of residues 43-46 and 54-58 or 43-47 and 53-58 of 46F50V54A. We dem onstrate here that, among the peptide vaccines prepared, 46F/HAI27-133 /54A (18 mer) consisting of HA127-133 and the I-A(b,d) binding compone nt constructed from 43-47 and 53-58 of 46F50V54A induces the most vigo rous T-cell responses and neutralizing antibodies against A/Aichi/2/68 in both I-A(b) and I-A(d) mice.