title: HIV-specific cytotoxic T-cells in HIV-exposed but uninfected Gambian women.
abstract: A crucial requirement in the rational design of a prophylactic vaccine against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is to establish whether or not protective immunity can occur following natural infection. The immune response to HIV infection is characterized by very vigorous HIV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity. We have identified four HIV-1 and HIV-2 cross-reactive peptide epitopes, presented to CTL from HIV-infected Gambians by HLA-B35 (the most common Gambian class I HLA molecule). These peptides were used to elicit HIV-specific CTLs from three out of six repeatedly exposed but HIV-seronegative female prostitutes with HLA-B35. These women remain seronegative with no evidence of HIV infection by polymerase chain reaction or viral culture. Their CTL activity may represent protective immunity against HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rowland-Jones
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ariyoshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gotch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McAdam
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Whitby
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabally
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallimore
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Corrah
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000737:chemistry; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology; D015797:HLA-B35 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015488:HIV Antigens; D015797:HLA-B35 Antigen; D010455:Peptides