Recognition of HIV-derived B and T cell epitopes displayed on filamentous phages

The amino acid sequence of HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) from residue 245 to residue 262 was expressed on the surface of filamentous phage fd, fused to the major coat protein gVIIIp. The chimeric phage was used to assess the ability of anti-RT (248-262) human T cell lines and clones to become activ ated by the phage-displayed peptide. The RT peptide displayed on phage was recognized by the T-cells and induced production of Abs. However, not all T cells raised against the synthetic RT (248-262) peptide could respond. Lac k of recognition did not depend on differences in the ability of different APCs to present the phage, but was apparently determined by the TCR specifi city. The results presented here may be relevant to the design of recombina nt protein-based subunit vaccines. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.