Measles virus hemagglutinin induces an Ld-restricted CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to two specific epitopes.

Balb/c mice (H-2d) immunized with a vaccinia virus recombinant expressing the measles virus hemagglutinin (MV HA) induced a strong CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response which was Ld-restricted. With reference to the predictive motif for Ld-restricted epitopes, a number of nonameric peptides derived from the primary sequence of the MV HA were tested for their ability to be restricted to the CTLs by P815 cells. Two peptides corresponding to amino acids 343-351 and 544-552 of the HA primary sequence sensitized target cells for lysis by the HA-specific CTLs.