Unveiling the epitope repertoires and protective roles of MERS-CoV-specific T cells in mice - PubMed
5 hours ago
- #vaccine design
- #T cell response
- #MERS-CoV
- MERS-CoV remains endemic and a global health threat since its emergence in 2012.
- Accessory proteins (ORFs) of MERS-CoV are explored for their role in adaptive immunity, particularly T cell responses.
- Epitope repertoires targeting structural proteins and ORFs were mapped in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice.
- ORFs, especially ORF5, induced strong virus-specific T cell responses, with ORF5 triggering dominant CD8+ T cell responses in BALB/c mice.
- ORF4b208-specific CD4+ and ORF5167-specific CD8+ T cells in the respiratory tract showed polyfunctional cytokine profiles, high antigen sensitivity, and potent in vivo cytotoxicity.
- These specific T cells played a protective role by promoting viral clearance during MERS-CoV infection.
- The study identifies MERS-CoV-specific T cell epitopes and highlights the roles of ORF4b- and ORF5-specific T cells, aiding in vaccine design strategies.