[Modeling antigenic determinants of the hepatitis A virus using synthetic peptides]

Monoclonal and polyclonal anti-hepatitis A (HAV) antibodies were used to search for peptides mimicking the antigenic determinants of HAV. Synthetic peptides VP1 115-139, VP1 117-139, VP1 126-139, VP2 69-99, VP2 80-99, VP3 45-57, VP3 137-150, were shown to bind the anti-HAV antibodies in ELISA. Peptides VP1 115-139, VP1 117-139, VP2 69-99 were utilized to produce the antipeptide antibodies. Mice were immunized with the free peptides or with their conjugates with ovalbumin. Only the free VP2 69-99 caused formation of HAV binding antibodies.