Yoshiya Ishida

Promiscuous peptides on the nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae P6 outer membrane protein.

IntroductionP6 outer membrane protein is one of the candidates for a vaccine formulation against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) infection. As otitis-prone children who have recurrent episodes of acute otitis media because of NTHi show an impaired immune response to P6, an innovative approach to vaccination is required to augment their immune response.Results and DiscussionWe previously identified human HLA-DR9-restricted T cell epitope peptide and highly immunogenic analog peptides on P6 for peptide vaccine candidates. To develop a vaccine formulation effective in the general population, we identified promiscuous T cell epitope peptides (p41–55, p71–85) on P6. In addition to stimulating with potentially promiscuous peptides (p30–44, p45–59) selected using a computer algorithm, we established peptide-specific T cell lines which respond to P6.ConclusionOur present results indicate that these peptides would be candidates for a widely applicable peptide vaccine formulation.

A Case of Lyme Disease with Facial Nerve Palsy.

Lyme disease is an infection transmitted by ticks and caused by spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. This disease is a complex multiple organ disorder with neurological complications. We encountered a case of Lyme disease with left facial palsy as a form of neuroborreliosis and report the case here. A 35-year-old man consulted our hospital complaining of left facial palsy following a tick bite with localized erythema migrans and positivity of serum anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibody indicating a diagnosis of neuroborreliosis. He was treated with antibiotics (intravenous ceftriaxon and piperacillin following oral minocycline) and prednisolone for 22 days. After therapy, he made a complete recovery from the disease.

Epitope analysis of the P6 outer membrane protein of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae

Abstract Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) is a common pathogen of upper airway infection, such as tonsilitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis and acute otitis media. P6 is an outer membrane protein that is highly conserved among strains of NTHI and is the target antigen of protective antibody. P6 is referred to as one of the leading vaccine antigens to NTHI infection. In recent years, attention has been paid to the vaccine treatment using peptides containing T cell and B cell epitopes. It is thought that peptide vaccine can guide a more effective immune response and has fewer side effects. The aim of our study was to investigate the epitope of P6. We established CD4+ T cell line specific to P6 using the dendritic cells (DC) as antigen presenting cells. The lymphocyte proliferative response to overlapping peptide of P6 was analyzed. The T cell line specific to P6 responded to the eighth overlapping peptide. The proliferative response of this T cell line was restricted by HLA-DR9. In our study, one of the T cell epitopes existed in the eighth overlapping peptide of P6. To DR9 holder, the eightth overlapping peptide of P6 was considered to be one of the candidates for peptide vaccine to NTHI infection.