Cross‐Binding Between Plasmodium falciparum CTL Epitopes and HLA Class I Molecules

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum CTL epitope minigenes containing HLA‐A2 and HLA‐B7 subtype supermotifs were cloned into a plasmid expression vector; this expression was measured in eight human HLA class I molecule specific cell lines. Three assays for in vitro antigen presentation analysis were developed to examine the cross‐binding between CTL epitopes and HLA class I molecules, including cell surface peptide‐MHC class I binding assay, binding stabilization assay and MHC class I assembling assay. The results demonstrated that the HLA‐B51 restricted CTL epitope of Plasmodium falciparum could be presented by other HLA class I molecules; however, no other presentation was found for HLA‐A2.1 CTL epitope. This work suggests the possibility for improved vaccine‐coverage rates by development of a CTL vaccine which contains epitopes capable of cross‐binding among different MHC class I alleles.

• HLA class I molecule
• Supertype and supermotif
• Plasmodium falciparum
• CTL epitope
• Cross‐binding