MHC-restricted recognition of immunogenic T cell epitopes of pertussis toxin reveals determinants in man distinct from the ADP-ribosylase active site

Induction of CD4(+) and CD8(+) Bordetella pertussis toxin subunit S1 specific T cells by immunization with synthetic peptides

In this study two synthetic peptides from the Bordetella pertussis toxin subunit S1 were conjugated to human anti-idiotypic antibodies and used as an immunogen in cancer patients to induce immunity. The aims of the present report are to explain why no carrier or adjuvant effect of the conjugated pertussis peptides could be established regarding induction of responses against the anti-idiotype and to explore the type and quality of induced anti-pertussis immune responses. The lack of carrier and adjuvant effect of the peptides might be related to the fact that the anti-idiotypic antibodies by themselves include helper epitopes and that none of the patients had a detectable T cell response against any of the selected peptides before immunization, which might be a requirement for an adjuvant effect. However, three of four immunized patients mounted a humoral as well as cellular response against the pertussis peptides used. The induced T cell immunity was restricted to one of the two peptides in responding patients. Established T cell lines and MHC blocking studies indicated that the T cell epitopes of the two peptides had a different MHC restriction. The type of T cell response induced seemed to govern the humoral response. The only durable antibody response was accompanied by the presence of a CD4(+) T cell response against the same peptide. Immunization with an anti-idiotype conjugated to synthetic peptides might thus induce both a B and a T cell response against the peptides and the type of induced T cells (CD4 or CD8) governs the quality of the humoral response. Moreover, the possibility of boosting or inducing a response against the antigen from which the peptide sequences were deduced also seemed feasible.

Cell-mediated immunity to Bordetella pertussis: role of Th1 cells in bacterial clearance in a murine respiratory infection model

A murine respiratory infection model was used to study the mechanism of protective immunity to Bordetella pertussis. We found that nude mice, which are deficient in T cells, developed a persistent infection and failed to clear the bacteria after aerosol inoculation. In contrast, normal adult nonimmune mice cleared a respiratory infection approximately 35 days after challenge. Before bacterial clearance, antipertussis antibody levels in serum were low or undetectable, whereas consistent antigen-specific T-cell responses were demonstrated throughout the course of infection. The in vitro responses detected in immune spleen cells were mediated by a population of CD4+ major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted Th1-like cells that secreted interleukin-2 and gamma interferon but not interleukin-4. Adoptive transfer of immune spleen cells into nude or sublethally irradiated immunosuppressed mice before challenge resulted in bacterial clearance within 14 to 21 days. In contrast, injection of serum from convalescent mice before challenge only marginally reduced the bacterial load early in the course of infection. Furthermore, transfer of enriched T cells or purified CD4+ T cells but not CD8+ T cells from immune mice conferred a high level of protection. Recipients of CD4+ T cells cleared the bacteria from the lungs within 20 days of challenge, at which time B. pertussis-specific antibodies in the serum were undetectable. Although we do not rule out a contribution of mucosal immunoglobulin A, our findings suggest that cellular responses mediated by CD4+ Th1 cells play an important role in protective immunity to B. pertussis.

Proliferative responses to purified and fractionated Bordetella pertussis antigens in mice immunized with whole-cell pertussis vaccine

The specificity of the cell-mediated immune response to Bordetella pertussis following immunization of C57B1 mice with a whole-cell pertussis vaccine was assessed in a proliferation assay. A proliferative response of lymph node lymphocytes to the filamentous haemagglutinin, the 69 kDa outer membrane protein and the agglutinogens 2 and 3 was demonstrated. The proliferative cells were T cells of the CD4+ phenotype. In addition, several as yet uncharacterized antigens expressed by B. pertussis were shown to induce a proliferative response, also mediated by T cells of the CD4+ phenotype. Although a range of different immunization schedules and preparations of pertussis toxin were used, no specific proliferative responses to pertussis toxin, which is regarded as a protective antigen of major importance from B. pertussis, were found.

Identification of murine T-cell epitopes on the S4 subunit of pertussis toxin

The aim of the present study was to identify murine T-cell epitopes on pertussis toxin subunit S4. Six mouse strains with five different haplotypes at the H-2 locus were immunized with the pertussis toxin B oligomer. Lymph node lymphocytes were isolated and stimulated in an in vitro proliferation assay with pertussis toxin components and 11 overlapping synthetic peptides synthesized on the basis of the primary sequence of S4. In vitro proliferative responses to the synthetic peptides revealed the presence of four distinct murine T-cell epitopes on subunit S4. The recognition of the peptides was major histocompatibility complex restricted. Immunizing four of the six mouse strains with the synthetic peptides showed that the peptides which were demonstrated to contain T-cell epitopes following immunization with the B oligomer were able to induce proliferative responses to detoxified pertussis toxin and pertussis toxin components containing subunit S4. One of the identified murine T-cell epitopes corresponded to one of the major human T-cell epitopes previously identified on subunit S4. It is hoped that this murine model system will facilitate the development of a synthetic immunogen mimicking the protective properties of pertussis toxin.

Proliferative responses and gamma interferon and tumor necrosis factor production by lymphocytes isolated from tracheobroncheal lymph nodes and spleen of mice aerosol infected with Bordetella pertussis

A group of mice was aerosol infected with live, virulent Bordetella pertussis bacteria. During a period of 7 weeks following the infection, with intervals of 1 week, lymphocytes were isolated from the tracheobroncheal lymph nodes (TBL) and the spleens (SPL) of the infected mice. The in vitro proliferative responses as well as the gamma interferon and tumor necrosis factor production levels of the isolated lymphocytes in response to stimulation with whole killed B. pertussis bacteria were measured as parameters for cell-mediated immunity (CMI). The course of the infection was monitored by counting of CFU in the lungs of the mice. Moreover, antibody responses in serum against a range of B. pertussis antigens were assessed. The results showed that a vigorous proliferative response of the TBL and SPL to stimulation with whole killed B. pertussis bacteria was induced by the infection. The proliferative response of the TBL was significantly higher than the response of the SPL. The proliferative responses were maximal 3 to 4 weeks after the infection and were paralleled by in vitro gamma interferon and tumor necrosis factor production upon specific stimulation. The development of the CMI was observed simultaneously with the clearance of the infection from the lungs. Antibody responses became measurable in the sera only after the infection was cleared. A specific CMI against pertussis toxin, the filamentous hemagglutinin, the 69-kDa outer membrane protein, and the agglutinogens 2 and 3, antigens which are under consideration for inclusion in future acellular pertussis vaccines, was successfully demonstrated in mice 3 weeks after the infection.

Identification of human T-cell epitopes on the S4 subunit of pertussis toxin

Ten adult humans were vaccinated with the Japanese acellular pertussis vaccine JNIH-3, containing detoxified pertussis toxin (PT), formaldehyde, and filamentous hemagglutinin. The vaccination induced a specific antibody response to PT and filamentous hemagglutinin, and a Western blot (immunoblot) analysis of the antibody response to PT revealed antibodies to PT subunits S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5. The response of peripheral lymphocytes to PT was assessed in an in vitro proliferation assay. A proliferative response to detoxified PT and PT dimers S2-S4 and S3-S4 was found, and it was further demonstrated that the proliferative response to detoxified PT and dimer S2-S4 was mediated by T cells of the CD4+ phenotype. The specificity of the proliferative response to subunit S4 was analyzed with a range of synthetic peptides synthesized on the basis of the primary sequence of subunit S4. The proliferative response to the peptides revealed two major and one minor T-cell epitope located in the NH2-terminal end of subunit S4.

Interaction of the pertussis toxin peptide containing residues 30-42 with DR1 and the T-cell receptors of 12 human T-cell clones

The interaction of the immunodominant pertussis toxin peptide containing residues 30-42 (p30-42) with soluble DR1 molecules and the T-cell receptor (TCR) of 12 DR1-restricted human T-cell clones has been analyzed. Peptide analogues of p30-42 containing single alanine substitutions were used in DR1-binding and T-cell proliferation assays to identify the major histocompatibility complex and TCR contact residues. Each T-cell clone was found to recognize p30-42 with a different fine specificity. However, a common core comprising amino acids 33-39 was found to be important for stimulation of all T-cell clones. Within this core two residues, Leu33 and Leu36, interact with the DR1 molecule, whereas Asp34, His35, Thr37, and Arg39 are important for TCR recognition in most of the clones. Computer modeling of the structure of p30-42 showed that an alpha-helical conformation is compatible with the experimental data. The analysis of TCR rearrangement revealed that the peptide was recognized by T-cell clones expressing different variable region alpha (V alpha) and variable region beta (V beta) chains, although a preferential use of V alpha 8-V beta 13 and V alpha 11-V beta 18 combinations was found in clones from the same donor. Understanding the details of the interaction of antigenic peptides with the major histocompatibility complex and TCR molecules should provide the theoretical basis to design T-cell epitopes and obtain more immunogenic vaccines.

Biochemical and immunological characterization of a novel peptide carrier system using rotavirus VP6 particles

A system which allows for the efficient attachment of synthetic peptides to spherical virus-like particles assembled from the VP6 rotavirus nucleocapsid protein is described. This attachment was shown to be mediated by peptide-protein interactions and did not require additional chemicals for conjugation. The resulting large macromolecular structure was highly immunogenic for both the VP6 protein and the coupled peptides. The antibody response to peptides bound to VP6 particles was of higher titre and longer duration than that induced by other carriers. In addition, the response to VP6-coupled peptides was not affected by prior exposure to rotavirus and exhibited a range of immunoglobulin subclasses in the absence of an adjuvant. These data demonstrate that assembled VP6 spherical particles are useful carriers for low doses of synthetic peptides.

The cell mediated and humoral immune response to vaccination with acellular and whole cell pertussis vaccine in adult humans

The cell mediated immune response (CMI) against pertussis antigens following vaccination with the traditional Danish whole cell pertussis vaccine (WC-P) and the Japanese acellular pertussis vaccine (A-PV) JNIH-3 was studied in four adult human volunteers. Vaccination with the A-PV induced an in vitro proliferative response of peripheral blood lymphocytes to pertussis toxin (PT) subunits S2-S4, S3-S4 and S5 and the filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), and a better serological response to native PT, detoxified PT (dPT) and FHA than the WC-PV. The induced CMI and serological response were followed over a period of 17 weeks, and were not seen to decline during this period. Further, an in vitro proliferative response to Bordetella pertussis agglutinogen 2 and 3 were demonstrated using lymphocytes from recently and not-so-recently pertussis-vaccinated adults.

Further analysis of the sequence of the S1 subunit of pertussis toxin

The two published sequences of the pertussis toxin operon differ in 3 bp in the S1 subunit gene. In this report, we provide evidence that Bordetella pertussis strains are able to produce active pertussis toxin only when they contain one of the two possible nucleotide sequences.

Human T cells recognize multiple epitopes of an immediate early/tegument protein (IE62) and glycoprotein I of varicella zoster virus

Infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV) elicits persistent cell-mediated immunity directed against the immediate early (IE62) protein and the glycoprotein I (gp I) in most healthy subjects. In these experiments, synthetic peptides corresponding to residues of the IE62 protein and gp I were used to identify linear amino acid sequences of these immunogenic VZV proteins that were recognized by peripheral blood T lymphocytes from VZV-immune individuals of known major histocompatibility complex (MHC) type. All of 12 VZV-immune donors had T-cell proliferative responses, defined as a stimulation index (SI) greater than or equal to 2.0, to at least two of ten synthetic IE62 peptides; the mean number of IE62 peptides recognized by T cells from VZV-immune donors was seven. Five of the ten IE62 peptides stimulated T cells from 75% to 83% of the VZV-immune donors; the other five IE62 peptides were recognized by T cells from 42% to 67% of the subjects. All VZV-immune donors also had T proliferation responses to at least two of ten synthetic gp I peptides; the mean number of peptides recognized was six. Six of the ten gp I peptides were recognized by T cells from 67% to 92% of the VZV-immune donors; the frequency of donors responding to the other gp I peptides ranged from 42% to 58%. None of five nonimmune donors demonstrated T-cell proliferation to any of the IE62 or gp I peptides. A combination of two IE62 peptides provided epitopes that could be recognized by T cells from all twelve VZV-immune donors, regardless of DR type. Similarly, one gp I peptide in combination with either of two other gp I peptides induced proliferation of T cells from all immune subjects. Memory T cells with specificity for multiple short amino acid sequences of the IE62 protein and gp I were detected in subjects who had had primary VZV infection more than 20 years earlier. These observations indicate that natural VZV infection elicits a diverse cell-mediated immune response to viral proteins that is not restricted to only one or two immunodominant regions. Although the usefulness of peptide vaccines remains to be established, multiple epitopes of the IE62 protein and gp I were identified that could be presented by antigen-presenting cells (APC) and recognized by T cells from most subjects in an "outbred" human population.

Acellular and whole cell pertussis vaccines protect against the lethal effects of intracerebral challenge by two different T-cell dependent humoral routes

Athymic (nu/nu) and euthymic (+/nu) BALB/c mice were immunized with a whole cell pertussis vaccine or with an acellular vaccine which contained detoxified pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA). Only the euthymic mice were protected against intracerebral challenge with virulent Bordetella pertussis which implies involvement of T-cells. As a cell transfer from mice immunized with whole cell or acellular vaccine prior to the challenge did not protect naive euthymic recipients, cellular immunity seems to be non-protective as an effector mechanism. Mice could be protected passively against a challenge by administration of immune sera. Therefore, T-cell dependent humoral immune responses to B. pertussis appear to be crucial for protection. The humoral response was further studied with athymic and euthymic mice. In euthymic mice the whole cell vaccine induced antibodies to FHA, pililipopolysaccharides (LPS) and an outer membrane protein (OMP) preparation, whereas the acellular vaccine induced antibodies to PT, FHA and OMP. Both IgM and IgG could be detected. From the nude mice only those immunized with the whole cell vaccine showed an antibody response which consisted of low titres of IgM directed to LPS. Sera from both +/nu and nu/nu mice immunized with the whole cell vaccine were bactericidal in vitro. These data demonstrate that in the mouse model protection to intracerebral challenge with B. pertussis is T-cell dependent as is the humoral response to PT, FHA, OMP and pili. The T-independent B-cell activation by the whole cell preparation is due to the presence of LPS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Human T cell clones define S1 subunit as the most immunogenic moiety of pertussis toxin and determine its epitope map

Human T lymphocyte clones specific for pertussis toxin (PT) were used to analyze the fine specificity of the response to PT, the basic component of new acellular vaccines against whooping cough. The majority (83%) of the clones specific for PT recognized S1, the subunit that in animal models has been shown to be highly immunogenic. To map T cell epitopes on S1, 18 S1-specific clones were tested for recognition of recombinant fragments representing NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal deletions of S1 and two recombinant S1 subunits containing amino acid substitutions. This approach led to the identification of three regions of the protein as the sequences containing T cell antigenic sites: 1-42, 181-211, and 212-235. Synthetic peptides were eventually used for a finer localization of the T cell epitopes. Two peptides, one of 13 residues (27-39) at the NH2 terminus and one of 24 residues (171-194) at the COOH terminus, stimulated proliferation of three and four clones, respectively. Both peptides are recognized in association with HLA DR1 molecules. These results stress the role of S1 in the immune response to PT and provide data useful for the development of a recombinant or synthetic antipertussis vaccine containing T cell epitopes from S1.