title: HLA-A and -B allele expression and ability to develop anti-Gag cross-clade responses in subtype C HIV-1-infected Ethiopians.
abstract: A cohort of 35 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C-infected Ethiopians was studied to define the HLA phenotype in all 35 subjects and highly conserved Gag protein regions involved in cross-clade cell-mediated immunity. Full-length Gag virus sequences were determined in 15 individuals. CD8 cell-mediated immune responses were detected by interferon-gamma ELISpot assay. HLA-A*03, -B*49, and -B*57 allelic frequencies were relatively higher than in other African populations. Anti-p17 (aa 1-60) CD8+ were detectable in the highest number of individuals. Anti-p17 (aa 1-60 and 51-110) cross-clade responses against subtype B and C were detected in 50% of the tested subjects. The p24 KF11 (aa 162-172) epitope was found to be immunodominant among the HLA-B*5703--positive individuals. These data represent the first report of correlating HLA phenotype and HIV-specific cell-mediated immune responses among infected Ethiopians and may be useful in designing cytotoxic T lymphocyte-inducing vaccines for this part of Africa.
authors.affiliation: Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. gflmp@duke.edu
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Currier
authors.forename: Matthew E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barkhan
authors.forename: Josephine H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeira
authors.forename: Kent J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Weinhold
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reinsmoen
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McCutchan
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Birx
authors.forename: Saladin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Osmanov
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maayan
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D007371:Interferon-gamma