Different synthetic peptides were designed to target the 17–36 amino acid sequences, present in highly antigenic amino-terminus of L2 protein. Six different peptides including Cys22–Cys28 disulfide bonded cyclized L2 peptide were examined for their antigenicity against mouse monoclonal antibody RG-1 and rabbit polyclonal antisera to HPV L2 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Here we report that the cyclized form of synthetic L2 peptide, which is formed through Cys22–Cys28 disulfide bridges, has the highest reactivity to antibodies than other synthetic L2 peptides.
A cyclized L2 peptide has potential to be an excellent candidate to formulate a low-cost, broadly protective pan-oncogenic HPV vaccine.