Computer simulations to predict the availability of peptides with known HLA class I motifs generated by proteolysis of dengue fever virus (DFV) type 1 structural and nonstructural proteins in infected cells.

Cytotoxic T cells that recognize dengue fever viral (DFV) peptides were reported. To predict the cleavage pattern of DFV proteins by cytoplasmic proteasomes into nonapeptides with motifs fitting known HLA class I molecules, the computer program "Findpatterns" was used. In this study the combined amino acid motifs for proteolytic cleavages and the HLA class I haplotype-restricted peptides were analyzed. It was noted that putative peptides with motifs of HLA A2 and A68 were abundant compared with nonapeptides with motifs HLA A24, B8, B35, and B53. The possible interpretation of the computer analysis in explaining the cellular immune response in endogenous populations of endemic DF is discussed.