Epitope specificity patterns

Pharmacia claims its BIAcore system can provide information on the affinity, specificity, kinetics, multiple binding patterns, and cooperativity of a biochemical interaction on line without the need of washing, sample dilution or labeling of a secondary interactant. Their scientists have mapped the epitope specificity patterns of thirty monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against recombinant core HTV-l core protein. 

Karsten, U., Serttas, N., Paulsen, H., Danielczyk, A., and Goletz, S. (2004) Binding patterns of DTR-specific antibodies reveal a glycosylation-conditioned tumor-specific epitope of the epithelial mucin (MUC1). Glycobiology 14(8), 681-692. 

Clearly, further studies will be necessary to sort out the multiple factors involved in the in vivo immune response to C. neoformans carbohydrate-mimetic peptides. Several conclusions may be drawn from the results to date. Peptides that mimic the cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide show specificity, in that each peptide binds with differing affinity to closely related mAbs [140,149]. The pattern of binding to protective and nonprotective mAbs differs between the mimetic peptides and the polysaccharide [140]. Protective efficacy is related to the location of carbohydrate epitopes recognized by these mAbs, within the polysaccharide capsule, but hkely also depends on interactions between mAbs and cellular responses [149]. Peptides have been shown to be functional, immunogenic mimics, but their protective efficacy depends on multiple factors, including the type of Abs elicited and interactions with the cellular immune system. Protective efficacy does not correlate with binding affinity to representative mAbs, but rather depends on the nature of these interactions. 

Screening of 152 0/X7 peptide libraries on cytolysis of target cells by several CTL clones showed clone-specific Recognition Patterns which allow the deduction of synthetic T-cell epitopes effective in the concentrations also typical for naturally occurring epitopes [54,55]. The degree of degeneracy is characteristic for a certain CTL clone and is also represented in the Recognition Pattern of the peptide library. 

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