CTLATVAX: Priming protective MHC class I-restricted T cell immunity by novel vaccine delivery strategies that target alternative epitope repertoires

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 01.0518

Key words (English)

Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Safety; Scientific Research; Social Aspects

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK2-CT-2002-00700

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.2 Control of infectious diseases

Short description (English)

See abstract

Abstract (English)

Specific stimulation of MHC class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) responses is a key objective for vaccines against intracellular infections. Epitope repertoires (ER) recognized by CTL are generated by processing antigen in protea some/TAP-dependent (ER^prot) and alternative proteasome/TAP-independent (ER^alt) pathways. Many new vaccination strategies prime CTL to alternatively pro-cessed antigens. The consortium targets the analysis of alternative processing of vaccine-relevant anti-gens from HCV, HBV and malaria plasmodia resulting in peptides for human/murine MHC class I pre-sentation. It will be tested if CTL populations specific for the ER^alt alone, or in combination with CTL recognizing the ER^prot are associated with protection against natural human HBV, HCV and plasmo-dium infections. The insight into alternative processing will be used to design and test optimised safe vaccines that induce broad CTL immunity also to the ER^alt.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 01.0518