[Identification and comparison of neutralizing epitopes of glycoprotein E(rns) of classical swine fever virus].

Structural and envelope glycoprotein E(rns) (gp48) of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is the second antigenic protein being responsible for eliciting neutralizing antibodies and conferring protective immunity. Infection of cells with CSFV is mediated by the interaction of glycoprotein E(rns) and E2 with the cell surface receptors. The glycoprotein E(rns) has been shown to contain RNase activity, which plays a role in the viral life cycle and is also involved in virus neutralization. Neutralizing epitopes of glycoprotein E(rns) had been mapped by screening a 12-mer random peptide phage display library using the neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 1B5, b4-22 and 24/16, raised against CSFV strain alfort T bingen and reacted with glycoprotein E(rns). Three major epitope (mimotope) motifs, WxNxxP, DKNR (Q) G and A (T) CxYxKN (around amino acid position aa351-aa356 or aa348-aa350, aa384-aa386 and aa322-aa323, aa380-aa386 of glycoprotein E(rns) of CSFV) were identified respectively and characterized immunologically by the MAbs, 1b5, b4-22 and 24/16. MAbs b4-22 and 24/16 shared a part of binding motif sequence KN, and recognized the similar antigenic domain on the glycoprotein E(rns) but showed a distinct pattern of flank sequence and reactivities with the mimotopes by Western blot and inhibition of immunofluorescent antibody analysis.