Ovine and murine T cell epitopes from the non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) are shared among viral serotypes.

Abstract

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a non-enveloped dsRNA virus that causes a haemorrhagic disease mainly in sheep. It is an economically important Orbivirus of the Reoviridae family. In order to estimate the importance of T cell responses during BTV infection, it is essential to identify the epitopes targeted by the immune system. In the present work, we selected potential T cell epitopes (3 MHC-class II-binding and 8 MHC-class I binding peptides) for the C57BL/6 mouse strain from the BTV-8 non-structural protein NS1, using H2b-binding predictive algorithms. Peptide binding assays confirmed all MHC-class I predicted peptides bound MHC-class I molecules. The immunogenicity of these 11 predicted peptides was then determined using splenocytes from BTV-8-inoculated C57BL/6 mice. Four MHC-class I binding peptides elicited specific IFN-γ production and generated cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in BTV-8 infected mice. CTL specific for 2 of these peptides were also able to recognise target cells infected with different BTV serotypes. Similarly, using a combination of IFN-γ ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining and proliferation assays, two MHC-class II peptides were identified as CD4+ T cell epitopes in BTV-8 infected mice. Importantly, two peptides were also consistently immunogenic in sheep infected with BTV-8 using IFN-γ ELISPOT assays. Both of these peptides stimulated CD4+ T cells that cross-reacted with other BTV serotypes. The characterisation of these T cell epitopes can help develop vaccines protecting against a broad spectrum of BTV serotypes and differentiate infected from vaccinated animals.

• Authors: José M Rojas, Lourdes Peña, Verónica Martín, Noemí Sevilla
• Journal: Veterinary research (Vet Res) Vol. 45 Pg. 30 (Mar 12 2014) ISSN: 1297-9716 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24621015 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
• NS1 protein, bluetongue virus
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins

Topics

• Animals
• Bluetongue (immunology, virology)
• Bluetongue virus (genetics, immunology)
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (immunology, metabolism)
• CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes (immunology, metabolism)
• Cross Reactions
• Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte (immunology)
• Female
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Sheep
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins (immunology, metabolism)