Immunoproteomic analysis of a Chikungunya poxvirus-based vaccine reveals high HLA class II immunoprevalence.

<h4>Background</h4>Efficient adaptive antiviral cellular and humoral immune responses require previous recognition of viral antigenic peptides bound to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II molecules, which are exposed on the surface of infected and antigen presenting cells, respe...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elena Lorente, Alejandro Barriga, Eilon Barnea, Concepción Palomo, Juan García-Arriaza, Carmen Mir, Mariano Esteban, Arie Admon, Daniel López
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-07-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007547
Description
Summary:<h4>Background</h4>Efficient adaptive antiviral cellular and humoral immune responses require previous recognition of viral antigenic peptides bound to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II molecules, which are exposed on the surface of infected and antigen presenting cells, respectively. The HLA-restricted immune response to Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a mosquito-borne Alphavirus of the Togaviridae family responsible for severe chronic polyarthralgia and polyarthritis, is largely unknown.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>In this study, a high-throughput mass spectrometry analysis of complex HLA-bound peptide pools isolated from large amounts of human cells infected with a vaccinia virus (VACV) recombinant expressing CHIKV structural proteins was carried out. Twelve viral ligands from the CHIKV polyprotein naturally presented by different HLA-A, -B, and -C class I, and HLA-DR and -DP class II molecules were identified.<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>The immunoprevalence of the HLA class II but not the HLA class I-restricted cellular immune response against the CHIKV structural polyprotein was greater than that against the VACV vector itself. In addition, most of the CHIKV HLA class I and II ligands detected by mass spectrometry are not conserved compared to its closely related O'nyong-nyong virus. These findings have clear implications for analysis of both cytotoxic and helper immune responses against CHIKV as well as for the future studies focused in the exacerbated T helper response linked to chronic musculoskeletal disorders in CHIKV patients.
ISSN:1935-2727
1935-2735