Induction of anti-meningitis immunity by synthetic peptides: II. Immunoactive synthetic fragments of the OpaB protein from Neisseria meningitidis

Mice of various lines were immunized by 11 synthetic peptides that correspo nd to the sequences of fragments of the OpaB protein from the outer membran e of Neisseria meningitidis involving the known human T-helper epitopes and all the potential mouse T-helper epitopes calculated for the protein. The mice were immunized with the free peptides without their conjugation with a protein carrier. Most of the peptides were found to induce in mice the pro duction of antipeptide antibodies. Mice protection against the experimental infection by a virulent strain of N. meningitidis of the B serotype was st udied, and two peptides were shown to exert the most pronounced protective effect.