Comparison of antigenic mutation during egg and cell passage cultivation of H3N2 influenza virus

Inhibitory effect of HLA-DR1-specific influenza virus hemagglutitin peptide on T cell activation / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To evaluate the impact of influenza virus hemagglutitin (HA) 306-318 peptide on T cell activation and to investigate the inhibitory effect of the altered HA306-318 peptide on T cell proliferation. Methods HA306-318 peptide and its mutant containing amino acid substitutions were synthesized. They were used in T cell activation assay using HLA-DR1 transfected cells. Responses were determined by MTT proliferation assays. The HA mutant without stimulating effect on T cells was then examined by inhibiting HLA-DR1-restricted T cell activation. Results It was demonstrated in this study that the altered HA306-318 peptide bound to HLA-DR1 molecule on L57.23 cells transfected with HLA-DR1 cDNA, but not on the control cells. The altered HA306-318 peptide had no stimulating effect on T cells compared with the wild type HA306-318 which induced T cell proliferation. It was shown that the altered HA peptide inhibited T cell activation mediated by wild type HA306-318 as well as by CⅡ263-272 which was the specific T cell antigen. Conclusions This study suggests that HA306-318 peptide is antigenic and can induce responses in HLA-DR1 specific T cells. Altered HA306-318 peptide is hyporesponsive in T cell activation with inhibitory effect on antigen-driven T cell responses, and it is potentially a therapeutic agent in rheumatoid arthritis.