Genome-wide linear B-cell epitopes of enterovirus 71 in a hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) population

Enteroviruses cause hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). The host B-cells recognize the viral proteins and provoke humoral responses. Deciphering the B-cell responses to the viral epitopes helps diagnosis and vaccine development.

The objective of the present study was to investigate for the first time the landscape of genome-wide linear B-cell epitopes of enterovirus 71 in HFMD population.

The peptides encompassing the entire coding region of EV71 were chemically synthesized and displayed on a microarray. The peptide microarray was used to screen serum samples from an HFMD population, including EV71-, CAV10-, CAV16- and CAV6-infected patients. We identified the dominant epitope-containing-peptides (DECPs) that react with the sera of more than 20% of the HFMD population and the common DECPs that cross-react with the sera from other enteroviruses-infected population.

Ten DECPs reacting with IgM and 9 DECPs reacting with IgG antibodies were identified, of which, 6 IgM and 5 IgG common DECPs cross-reacted with the sera from other enteroviruses. Some DECPs preferentially reacted with IgG or IgM antibodies and some epitope-antibody interactions correlated with the severity of HFMD.

We uncovered the DECPs and the common DECPs among a group of enteroviruses in HFMD population and found that some epitope-antibody reactions were associated with the outcome of HFMD. These data may guide developing vaccines against the enteroviruses and help the diagnosis and prognosis of HFMD.