Identification of a gastritogenic epitope of the H/K ATPase beta-subunit

We have previously shown that autoimmune gastritis can be elicited in mice by immunization with the gastric parietal cell H/K ATPase alpha beta heterodimer and that tolerance specifically induced to the H/K ATPase beta-subunit protects mice from the development of gastritis. Here we have identified the immunodominant gastritogenic epitope of the H/K ATPase beta-subunit (H/Kbeta). Epitope mapping was carried out with a panel of 21 overlapping peptides that spanned the entire sequence of the gastric H/K ATPase beta-subunit. T cells from gastric H/K ATPase-immunized mice responded to only one of the overlapping peptides, namely H/Kbeta253-277. Furthermore, a single subcutaneous immunization of 6-week-old BALB/c mice with the ATPase beta-subunit peptides resulted in a T-cell response to only H/Kbeta253-277. Multiple immunization with the overlapping H/K ATPase peptides demonstrated that H/Kbeta253-277 was capable of inducing a mononuclear infiltrate specifically within the gastric mucosa. We conclude that H/Kbeta253-277 is the dominant gastritogenic epitope of the gastric H/K ATPase.