Novel, cross-restricted, conserved, and immunodominant cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes in slow progressors in HIV type 1 infection.
HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play an important role in the immune response to HIV infection. Long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs) or slow progressors (SPs) in HIV infection may make qualitatively different CTL responses compared to those generated by seropositive individuals who progress to disease at a faster rate. The class I molecule HLA-B*57 has been identified as one restriction element overrepresented in SP groups studied, and, together with the closely related molecule HLA-B*58, occurs commonly in ethnic groups where HIV is most prevalent. In this study, we have identified five new HLA-B*57-restricted CTL epitopes recognized by SP donors, one of which is also HLA-B*5801 restricted. These HLA-B*57-restricted responses represent the dominant HIV-specific CTL response in each of the SP donors tested. These and other such epitopes may be an important component in future vaccine design.
Goulder
P J
PJ
Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Bunce
M
M
Krausa
P
P
McIntyre
K
K
Crowley
S
S
Morgan
B
B
Edwards
A
A
Giangrande
P
P
Phillips
R E
RE
McMichael
A J
AJ
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D018450:Disease Progression; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005006:Ethnicity; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015488:HIV Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C103707:HLA-B57 antigen; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes