Correlating low-similarity peptide sequences and HIV B-cell epitopes

Although a large number of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) derived B-cell epitopes has been experimentally identified, the structural requirements underlying HIV humoral immune response remain unknown. Here, we review the current literature on HIV B-cell epitopes as catalogued in the www.hiv.lanl.gov/content/immunology website, searching for common structural and/or functional immunogenic motifs. The analysis of HIV antibody data documents that the linear determinants recognized by human or murine humoral immune responses, are (or harbor) pentapeptide fragments with no or only very low similarity to the respective host proteome. The present literature analysis provides relevant insights that may be applied to design anti-HCV therapeutic approaches exempt from autoimmune collateral effects.