Optimizing vaccine design for cellular processing, MHC binding and TCR recognition.

In this review we describe the methods and processes that our group have developed while aiming to test and design multiepitope vaccines for infectious diseases and cancer. Testing the performance of vaccines composed of epitopes restricted by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules is accomplished by in vitro antigenicity assays, as well as in vivo immunogenicity assays in HLA transgenics. The efficiency by which multiepitope vaccines are processed is optimized by spacer residues, which are designed to facilitate generation by natural processing of the various class I- and class II-restricted epitopes. Methods and strategies to test and optimize HLA binding affinity, patient coverage from the vaccine construct, and TCR recognition of HLA/epitope complexes are also discussed.