Synthetic peptides against foot-and-mouth disease--immunization with VP1-peptides of type O1-Kaufbeuren.

Coupled synthetic peptides, representing the sequences of amino acids 130-160, 141-160 and 145-160 of foot-and-mouth disease virus O1K protein VP1, induced virus-binding and virus-neutralizing antibody response in guinea pigs, rabbits, and pigs. We also detected antibody response in guinea pigs after immunization with uncoupled peptides and in cattle with 21 aa-peptide-Keyhole-limpet hemocyanin (-KLH). The best results were obtained from 21 aa-peptide-KLH and 31 aa-peptide with or without KLH or thyroglobulin as carrier. Our preliminary results show the induction of virus-neutralizing antibodies to be obviously influenced by length of the peptide as well as by the kind of carrier and coupling.