Identification of CD4 and H-2Kd-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes on the human herpesvirus 6B glycoprotein Q1 protein

Abstract

The identification of Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) epitopes that are recognized by T-cells could contribute to the development of potential vaccines and immunotherapies. Here, we identified CD4⁺ and H-2K^d-restricted CD8⁺ T-cell epitopes on the glycoprotein Q1 of HHV-6B (BgQ1), which is a unique glycoprotein and essential for HHV-6B viral entry, by using in vivo electroporation with a plasmid DNA encoding BgQ1, overlapping peptides spanning the BgQ1 sequence, ELISPOT assay for quantification of gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and computer-based T-cell epitope prediction programs. The CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell epitopes identified in BALB/c mice in this study could be a good animal model system for use in the development of T-cell responses, inducing HHV-6B vaccines or immunotherapies.