HLA-A and -B allele expression and ability to develop anti-Gag cross-clade responses in subtype C HIV-1-infected Ethiopians.
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.
Ferrari
Guido
G
Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. gflmp@duke.edu
Currier
Jeffrey R
JR
Harris
Matthew E
ME
Finkelstein
Stella
S
de Oliveira
Angelica
A
Barkhan
Debra
D
Cox
Josephine H
JH
Zeira
Michael
M
Weinhold
Kent J
KJ
Reinsmoen
Nancy
N
McCutchan
Francine
F
Birx
Deborah L
DL
Osmanov
Saladin
S
Maayan
Shlomo
S
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
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D007371:Interferon-gamma