Study on antigenic epitope prediction methods of HA protein of H1N1 influenza virus

Objective To investigate the antigenic epitope prediction method of hemagglutinin (HA) protein of influenza A (H1N1) virus. Methods BALB/c mice were conventionally immunized with influenza H1N1 vaccine. The splenocytes from the immunized mouse were fused with SP2/0 mouse myeloma cell line, and then the antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were obtained by screening hybridoma supernatants. ELISA blocking test was used to detect the blocking result of each monoclonal antibody, which was labeled by horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The light and heavy chain variable region genes of each antibody were cloned, the amino acid sites of the antibody-binding HA antigen epitope were predicted by computer simulation. Results Three hybridoma cell lines of stable secreting anti-H1N1 influenza virus HA protein were obtained.Three mAbs were divided into two categories by ELISA blocking tests, which were divided into two categories according to preliminary results of computer simulation. Conclusions ELISA blocking test and computer simulation prediction can prove each other in predication of the antigenic epitopes of HA protein of H1N1 influenza virus. Key words: H1N1 influenza virus; Hemagglutinin (HA); Monoclonal antibody (mAb); Epitope