A novel strategy to mimic discontinuous protective epitopes using a synthetic scaffold

Hijnen, M., van Zoelen, D.J., Chamorro, C., van Gageldonk, P., Mooi, F.R., Berbers, G. and Liskamp, R.M.J. (2007) A novel strategy to mimic discontinuous protective epitopes using a synthetic scaffold. Vaccine, 25(37-38), pp. 6807-6817. (doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.06.027)

Abstract

Although vaccines have been used for a long time and different types of vaccines have been developed, as yet no fully synthetic vaccines have been produced. The production of fully synthetic vaccines has probably not been realized so far due to the structural limitations of linear synthetic peptides to mimic the native shape of protein fragments which is often needed to induce protective antibodies. In this report we used the Bordetella pertussis protein pertactin as a model and show that a novel synthetic scaffold can be used to mimic structurally defined epitopes by confined presentation of several different peptide arms. Guided by modelling a construct was synthesized that induced protective antibodies directed towards a discontinuous epitope. This approach opens up the possibility to the design of new and fully synthetic vaccines that can induce protective antibodies.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Liskamp, Professor Robert
• Authors: Hijnen, M., van Zoelen, D.J., Chamorro, C., van Gageldonk, P., Mooi, F.R., Berbers, G., and Liskamp, R.M.J.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Journal Name: Vaccine
• ISSN: 0264-410X