Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason

Benaroya Research Institute

University of Virginia Patent Foundation

William W Kwok

Erik Wambre

Lyndsey M Muehling

Andrew Liu

Gerald Nepom

John Gebe

Judith Ann Woodfolk

Duy Tran Mai

Helena Reijonen

An analysis of human CD4T-cell epitopes of RV capsid proteins with cross-reactive potential was performed, peptide epitopes of RV-A16 capsid proteins VP1 and VP2 were identified, RV-specific CD4T cells were phenotyped for surface markers and cytokine profiles using flow cytometry, and it was found that, among non-infected subjects, circulating RV-A16-specific CD4T cells detected at the highest frequencies targeted 10 unique epitopes with diverse HLA-DR binding capacity. T-cell epitopes localized to conserved regions of significance to the virus and were enriched for HLA class I and II binding motifs and were activated in vivo after experimental infection with RV-A16. RV-A16 epitopes constituted species-specific and pan-species varieties, together providing &#x2dc;90% coverage of the US population. Cross-reactivity was evidenced for RV-A16 and RV-A39. High-frequency circulating RV-specific memory Th1 cells in healthy individuals preferentially target a limited set of conserved epitopes and these epitopes, separately or combined, can serve as vaccines.

Compositions and methods for preventing and treating rhinovirus infections

Provided herein are methods of detecting and/or monitoring the presence or severity of an immune disorder in a subject, including detecting a frequency of a Th2subset of CD4+ T cells in a biological sample of the subject. In some embodiments, the detecting includes: (a) detecting a frequency of CD4+ T cells in a biological sample of said subject; (b) detecting a frequency of a Th2subset of the CD4+ T cells in the biological sample; and (c) comparing the frequency of the Th2subset with the frequency of the CD4+ T cells.

Detection of an immune response

Provided herein are methods of detecting and/or monitoring the presence or severity of an immune disorder in a subject, including detecting a frequency of a Th2a subset of CD4+ T cells in a biological sample of the subject. In some embodiments, the detecting includes: (a) detecting a frequency of CD4+ T cells in a biological sample of said subject; (b) detecting a frequency of a Th2a subset of the CD4+ T cells in the biological sample; and (c) comparing the frequency of the Th2a subset with the frequency of the CD4+ T cells.

The present invention provides of using multimeric MHC class II/peptide complexes. In one aspect, methods provided for identifying MHC class II-restricted immune epitopes of a predetermined polypeptide antigen. Methods for identifying an immunostimulatory epitope for a predetermined polypeptide antigen are provided. In a related aspect, methods for screening a therapeutic polypeptide agent for an MHC class II epitope are provided. In other aspects, methods for modulating T cells and for determining or monitoring an MHC class II-restricted immune status of a patient are also provided.

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

William W Kwok