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.
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.
Robinson
S
S
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Charini
W A
WA
Newberg
M H
MH
Kuroda
M J
MJ
Lord
C I
CI
Letvin
N L
NL
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*
D000939:Epitopes; D015693:Gene Products, nef; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C089390:Mamu-A 02 antigen