ANALYSIS OF COMPUTER-PREDICTED ANTIBODY INDUCING EPITOPE ON JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS-VIRUS

Theoretical methods to delineate antibody inducing epitopes have been employed to predict antigenic determinants on envelope glycoprotein (g pE) of Japanese encephalitis (JE), West Nile (WN) and Dengue (DEN) I-I V viruses. A predicted region on JE virus gpE 74CPTTGEAHNEKRAD87 was s ynthesized, conjugated to KLH (KLH-peptide) and used in immunization o f mice. A mouse monoclonal antibody (MoAb IVB4) reactive to the peptid e was also found to react with native JE virus gpE. Characterization o f the idiotypic (ID) determinants with the help of polyclonal domain-s pecific anti-ID antibodies revealed that polyclonal anti-KLH-peptide a ntibodies and MoAb IVB4 are flavivirus-cross-reactive to Hx and NHx do mains, respectively. The region 74-87 in JE virus gpE has been mapped as a linking area between Hx and NHx domains. Reactivity of the peptid e with sera from JE patients and vaccinees also indicated the feasibil ity of using predicted peptides for diagnostic and prophylastic purpos es.