Redistribution of a murine humoral immune response following removal of an immunodominant B cell epitope from a recombinant fusion protein

Abstract

Immunization of different mice strains with a recombinant fusion protein composed of the vector-encoded N-terminal leader peptide CroLac (containing lambda Cro and Lad fragments) and a part of the transmembrane protein of HIV-1 (gp41) led to a high anti-CroLac humoral immune response. A detailed analysis of this response revealed the presence of an immunodominant, linear B cell epitope localized near the C-terminus of the CroLac fragment. The immune response seemed to be biased towards this epitope since few or no monoclonal antibodies (mAb) could be generated against the remaining part of CroLac and the gp41 fragment. Upon removal of the immunodominant region from the fusion protein the imm..