Elucidation of T-cell epitopes: a synthetic approach with random peptide libraries

Position-Scanning Peptide Libraries as Particle Immunogens for Improving CD8+ T-Cell Responses

Short peptides reflecting major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I (MHC-I) epitopes frequently lack sufficient immunogenicity to induce robust antigen (Ag)-specific CD8+ T cell responses. In the current work, it is demonstrated that position-scanning peptide libraries themselves can serve as improved immunogens, inducing Ag-specific CD8+ T cells with greater frequency and function than the wild-type epitope. The approach involves displaying the entire position-scanning library onto immunogenic nanoliposomes. Each library contains the MHC-I epitope with a single randomized position. When a recently identified MHC-I epitope in the glycoprotein gp70 envelope protein of murine leukemia virus (MuLV) is assessed, only one of the eight positional libraries tested, randomized at amino acid position 5 (Pos5), shows enhanced induction of Ag-specific CD8+ T cells. A second MHC-I epitope from gp70 is assessed in the same manner and shows, in contrast, multiple positional libraries (Pos1, Pos3, Pos5, and Pos8) as well as the library mixture give rise to enhanced CD8+ T cell responses. The library mixture Pos1-3-5-8 induces a more diverse epitope-specific T-cell repertoire with superior antitumor efficacy compared to an established single mutation mimotope (AH1-A5). These data show that positional peptide libraries can serve as immunogens for improving CD8+ T-cell responses against endogenously expressed MHC-I epitopes.

Mimotope vaccines for cancer immunotherapy

Cancer vaccines need to be designed to effectively induce tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells, the key effector cells in immune responses against tumors. These T cells recognize peptides generated from cellular proteins by limited proteolysis, and bound and presented at cell surfaces by MHC class I molecules. Mimotopes, mimetics of T cell epitopes, have been derived from known epitopes by sequence modification, or developed de novo using combinatorial peptide libraries to scan the entire sequence space for peptides that induce the desired T cell responses. Mimotopes of both types have been tested in clinical vaccination trials for treatment of cancer.

Mimotopes of tumor-associated T-cell epitopes for cancer vaccines determined with combinatorial peptide libraries

Cytotoxic T-cells are the most important effector cells in immune responses against tumors. The identification of tumor-associated epitopes for these cells, therefore, has become a key aspect of the development of cancer vaccines. Here, we describe a new approach to the determination of tumor-associated T-cell epitopes which employs combinatorial peptide libraries with singly defined sequence positions in a randomized context. The analysis of the responses of a T-cell clone to these libraries yields the amino acid constituents of the epitope which can be combined to obtain mimotopes that are suitable as vaccine antigens for the induction of tumor-specific responses.

Mimetics of a T cell epitope based on poly-N-acylated amine backbone structures induce T cells in vitro and in vivo

Peptidomimetics of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted ovalbumin-derived T cell epitope SIINFEKL were generated by replacing parts of the peptide backbone by a poly-N-acylated amine (PAA) backbone with aromatic, heteroaromatic, and pseudoaromatic side chains that branch off of the main chain at the amine nitrogen. The structure of the PAAs was designed to position this side chain in the central epitope anchor pocket of the MHC molecule. A number of biologically active PAAs were found that induced cytolysis by the mouse cytotoxic T cell clone 4G3. Competition experiments with independent peptides that are known to bind to the restricting MHC molecule H-2K(b) suggest that the PAAs are bound by the MHC molecules at the same site as conventional peptide epitopes. The PAAs were active also in vivo and induced primary cytotoxic T cell responses in mice.

Mimotopes for tumor-specific T lymphocytes in human cancer determined with combinatorial peptide libraries

Mimotopes of a tumor-associated T cell epitope were determined using randomized and combinatorial peptide libraries and a CD8(+) T cell clone specific for the cutaneous T cell lymphoma cell line MyLa. Antigen recognition by this clone was found to be HLA-B8 restricted. More than 80 % of HLA-matched patients with cutaneous T cell lymphoma had mimotope-specific CD8(+) T cells in their peripheral blood. Mimotope-specific T cells isolated and expanded from a patient lysed MyLa cells in in vitro assays thus demonstrating their cytolytic capacity and tumor specificity. Mimotope vaccination of a patient without detectable mimotope-specific T cells induced frequencies of these cells of up to 1.82 % of the peripheral blood CD8(+) T cells.

New synthetic non-peptide ligands for classical major histocompatibility complex class I molecules

Poly-N-acylated amines, as a new class of synthetic non-peptide ligands for the murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule H-2Kb, were developed on the basis of the ovalbumin-derived peptide epitope SIINFEKL. Non-peptidic structural elements were introduced at the C-terminal part of the ligand and include the two dominant anchors at positions 5 and 8. Several oligomers and five different combinatorial libraries were synthesized and tested for their H-2Kb-binding capacities in an MHC stabilization assay. First, the optimal spacing and geometry of the side chains were determined using a series of oligomers with different main chain modifications. Then, based on the structure with the highest binding efficiency, randomized libraries were designed that contain 26 different aromatic, heteroaromatic, or pseudoaromatic side chains for the dominant anchor at position 5, which is deeply buried inside the MHC peptide-binding groove and is crucial for the conformational stability of the entire peptide-MHC complex. Similarly, a series of aliphatic side chains were tested for the second dominant anchor at position 8. MHC-binding and MHC-stabilizing oligomers with defined structures were derived from these libraries by deconvolution.

Efficient generation of major histocompatibility complex class I-peptide complexes using synthetic peptide libraries

The use of synthetic random peptide libraries is a powerful technology for the study of many aspects of antigen presentation and peptide selection by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Here we have used them in conjunction with a recombinant system to determine the peptide binding motifs of three classical class I MHC molecules of the laboratory rat: RT1-Aa, RT1-Au, and RT1-A1c. Described is a method for producing large amounts of soluble class I heavy and light chains in bacteria. Refolding RT1-Aa heavy chain (HC) with rat beta2-microglobulin (beta2m) in the presence of a specific peptide and the subsequent purification of the complex yielded conformationally correct material. This was assessed by gel chromatography, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focussing gel electrophoresis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis employing a previously unreported method utilizing a His-Tag affinity silica. By refolding RT1-Aa HC and rat beta2m around a random nonapeptide library and subjecting the resulting complex to acid elution of the bound peptides and pool sequencing, the peptide binding motif for this MHC class I molecule was determined. Results corresponded well with those previously determined from naturally bound peptides and in addition gave a clear and unambiguous signal for the C-terminal anchor residue. This method was then applied to determine the previously undescribed binding motifs for RT1-Au and RT1-A1c. For both molecules, the whole motif was confirmed from naturally bound peptides. We propose this method as an alternative way to obtain the whole class I MHC peptide motif, particularly when a specific antibody is unavailable and/or natural expression of the class I molecule of interest is low.

T-cell epitope determination

Synthetic approaches to T-cell epitope determination have recently been developed that complement the search for natural T-cell epitopes and the investigation of the preferences of the different MHC alleles for particular motifs in cognate peptide sequences. The combination of these different strategies opens new possibilities for basic, as well as for applied, immunology. The outlines of the strategies for determination of natural T-cell epitopes are well established. These strategies have contributed substantially to our understanding of the nature of T-cell epitopes and of many diseases. Positional scanning approaches with random synthetic peptide libraries allow comprehensive surveys of the sequence requirements for peptide selection by MHC molecules and for induction of T-cell responses. Synthetic T-cell epitopes can be determined independently of the knowledge of the natural T-cell antigen. This opens new perspectives for the development of synthetic vaccines, TCR antagonists and MHC blockers.