[Antigenic structure of the foot-and-mouth disease virus. III. Immunogenic properties of synthetic peptides of the sequence of the immunodominant region of VP1 proteins of the O1K and A22 strains of foot-and-mouth virus].

Immunogenic and protective properties of uncoupled and KLH-conjugated peptides covering the sequence of the immunodominant region of VP1 proteins of the O1K and A22 strains of foot-and-mouth disease virus have been studied. The uncoupled peptides 136-148 O1K, 136-152 O1K, 131-149 A22 and 140-149 A22 were shown to be immunogenic in guinea pigs and induced 50-100% protection against homologous virus. On the other hand, the A22 specific peptides, in contrast to the O1K peptides, were not immunogenic in rabbits. Immunization of nonresponders with the A22 specific peptides containing the O1K peptide can bypass nonresponsiveness to the A22 peptide in terms of the antibody production. The induced antibodies showed virus-neutralizing activity in vitro.