title: A commonly recognized simian immunodeficiency virus Nef epitope presented to cytotoxic T lymphocytes of Indian-origin rhesus monkeys by the prevalent major histocompatibility complex class I allele Mamu-A*02.
abstract: The ability to monitor vaccine-elicited CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)- and simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)-infected rhesus monkeys has been limited by our knowledge of viral epitopes predictably presented to those lymphocytes by common rhesus monkey MHC class I alleles. We now define an SIV and SHIV Nef CTL epitope (YTSGPGIRY) that is presented to CD8(+) T lymphocytes by the common rhesus monkey MHC class I molecule Mamu-A*02. All seven infected Mamu-A*02(+) monkeys evaluated demonstrated this response, and peptide-stimulated interferon gamma Elispot assays indicated that the response represents a large proportion of the entire CD8(+) T-lymphocyte SIV- or SHIV-specific immune response of these animals. Knowledge of this epitope and MHC class I allele substantially increases the number of available rhesus monkeys that can be used for testing prototype HIV vaccines in this important animal model.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Charini
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Newberg
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Letvin
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000939:Epitopes; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000276:immunology*; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D015693:Gene Products, nef; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C089390:Mamu-A 02 antigen