Automatic Generation of Validated Specific Epitope Sets

J Immunol Res. 2015:2015:763461. doi: 10.1155/2015/763461. Epub 2015 Oct 19.

Abstract

Accurate measurement of B and T cell responses is a valuable tool to study autoimmunity, allergies, immunity to pathogens, and host-pathogen interactions and assist in the design and evaluation of T cell vaccines and immunotherapies. In this context, it is desirable to elucidate a method to select validated reference sets of epitopes to allow detection of T and B cells. However, the ever-growing information contained in the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) and the differences in quality and subjects studied between epitope assays make this task complicated. In this study, we develop a novel method to automatically select reference epitope sets according to a categorization system employed by the IEDB. From the sets generated, three epitope sets (EBV, mycobacteria and dengue) were experimentally validated by detection of T cell reactivity ex vivo from human donors. Furthermore, a web application that will potentially be implemented in the IEDB was created to allow users the capacity to generate customized epitope sets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Databases, Factual
  • Dengue Virus / immunology*
  • Electronic Data Processing
  • Epitope Mapping / methods
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / metabolism*
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Tests
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mycobacteriaceae / immunology*
  • Precision Medicine
  • Software
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Viral Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Viral Proteins