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Figure 5 | Journal of Translational Medicine

Figure 5

From: Identification of HLA-A*2402-restricted HCMV immediate early-1 (IE-1) epitopes as targets for CD8+ HCMV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Figure 5

Intracellular IFN-γ analysis of IE-1 1–15 and IE-1 5–19 derived HCMV-specific CTLs. To determine the exact HLA class I restricted- HLA-A*2402 specific IE-1 epitopes, we synthesized a total of twenty-one overlapping nona- or decamer peptides spanning IE-11–15 and IE-15–19. Intracellular IFN-γ protein production was measured in six HCMV-seropositive HLA-A*2402 donors (Donors 12–17). Among the twenty-one candidate peptides, IE-13–11SSAKRKMDP, IE-13–12SSAKRKMDPD and IE-18–16KMDPDNPDE peptide induced the highest quantities of IFN-γ protein production. Peptide IE-13–12SSAKRKMDPD induced the greatest quantities of IFN-γ production in five of six donors. The results of testing Donor 14 are shown. The peptide IE-13–12SSAKRKMDPD induced higher quantities of IFN-γ production by CD8+ CTLs from Donor 14 than any of the other peptides tested (Panel A). In addition, this peptide also induced the greatest quantities of IFN-γ protein production by CD8+CD69+ CTLs (Panel B). PHA and CMV A24 (pp65341–350) peptide-stimulated PBMCs were used as positive control and CMV A2 (pp65495–503) peptide and IL-2 only stimulated PBMCs (IL-2) were used as negative controls.

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