Synthetic peptides of the E2 glycoprotein of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus. II. Antibody to the amino terminus protects animals by limiting viral replication.

A peptide composed of the amino-terminal 25 amino acids of the E2 glycoprotein of the virulent Trinidad donkey (TRD) strain of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus was found to protect peptide-immunized mice from lethal TRD virus challenge (Hunt et al., 1990). Viral growth in peptide-immunized animals was found to be limited in comparison to that in nonimmunized controls. Although both treated and control groups of mice responded to virus challenge by producing neutralizing antibody, only immunized mice with preexisting antipeptide antibody survived. Polyclonal antipeptide sera as well as a monoclonal antipeptide antibody were able to passively protect naive mice from TRD virus challenge, despite the fact that these antibodies were nonneutralizing. Passive transfer of antipeptide antibody to immunosuppressed recipients was not protective, thus indicating that survival of TRD virus challenge required an in situ immune response as well as preexisting antipeptide antibody. Binding studies of both polyclonal and monoclonal antipeptide antibodies indicated that they recognize only epitopes present on virus-infected cells or denatured virus.