Antigenic structural peptide, antigenic and immunogenic compounds, and uses for detecting, preventing and treating an HCV infection

A structural peptide, recognized by antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core or nucleocapsid protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), wherein said structural peptide comprises a peptide sequence of or equivalent to SEQ ID NO:

• 2, said peptide sequence comprising a tertiary structure consisting of at least a first peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix, a second peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix and a third joining peptide fragment linking the two α helices, these two α helices being substantially perpendicular to each other in space,
• excluding all protein or peptide compounds comprising or consisting of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein, this end being considered as starting at the amino acid at position 1 or the amino acid at position 2,
• wherein said structural peptide contains no more than 35 amino acids.

A structural peptide according to claim 0.23, wherein said structural peptide contains no more than 30 amino acids.

A structural peptide, recognized by antibodies directed against a polypeptide comprising the sequence of amino acids 2-45 of the N-terminal end of the Core or nucleocapsid protein (p21) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), wherein said peptide comprises a peptide sequence of or equivalent to SEQ ID NO:

• 2, said peptide sequence comprising a tertiary structure consisting of at least a first peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix, a second peptide fragment having a secondary structure in the form of an α helix and a third joining peptide fragment linking the two α helices, these two α helices being substantially perpendicular to each other in space,
• excluding all protein or peptide compounds comprising or consisting of the N-terminal end of the p21 protein, this end being considered as starting at the amino acid at position 5.