EPITOPES OF THE PROTEIN PRE-M/M OF THE DENGUE VIRUS, SYNTHETIC PEPTIDES

摘要

The present invention relates to five synthetic peptides pertaining to the protein pre-M/M of the dengue-2 virus corresponding to the amino acid sequences 2-31, 45-67, 57-92, 69-93 and 103-124. The immune response to the peptides was evaluated in rats. Recombinant fusion proteins including regions of pre-M/M were constructed. The presence of epitopes for B cells of rats and human beings in the peptides of the protein pre-M/M of the dengue virus was verified. The peptides 3-31 and 103-124 induced neutralizing antibodies against the four serotypes of the dengue virus. The studies of lymphoproliferation with the peptides 57-92 and 3-31 demonstrated crossed recognition of T cells which are peptido-specific to the virus. The rats tested with the dengue-2 virus have demonstrated a protection induced by the peptides 3-31, 57-92 and 69-93. Thus, the presence of sequential epitopes in the protein pre-M/M of the dengue-2 virus and the possible relevance of the same in the immune response against said flavivirus is demonstrated.