Identification of novel foot-and-mouth disease virus specific T-cell epitopes in c/c and d/d haplotype miniature swine

To identify foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) specific T-cell epitopes within the non-structural protein 3D in swine, pentadecapeptides were tested in proliferation and Interferon-γ ELISPOT assays using lymphocytes from two strains of inbred miniature pigs (c/c and d/d haplotype) experimentally infected with FMDV. Lymphocytes of c/c pigs recognized peptides from three different regions in 3D, d/d lymphocytes recognized peptides from two regions, one of them being adjacent to an epitope of c/c pigs and comprising amino acid residues 346–370. Analyses of the response of d/d lymphocytes against peptides representing the structural protein 1A revealed another novel T-cell epitope. Investigation of the phenotype of responding lymphocytes showed a response of CD4+CD8+MHC-class-II+ cells, identifying them as activated T-helper cells. This is the first report on FMDV specific T-cell epitopes recognized by swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) inbred swine and provides information useful for the design of novel vaccines against FMDV.