T cell epitope "hotspots" on the HIV Type 1 gp120 envelope protein overlap with tryptic fragments displayed by mass spectrometry.
Our previous work has shown that immunodominant T-helper cell epitopes cluster within distinct fragments on a single face of the HIV envelope gp120 protein. We show in this report that the general positions of immunodominant epitopes are shared by T cells derived from BALB/c, C57BL/6, and CB6F1 mice, yet the precise peptides recognized by the responding T cell populations may differ. In addition, we find that gp120 peptides displayed by tryptic digestion and mass spectrometry of a purified HIV envelope protein share location with peptides defined as immunodominant T cell targets. Results are consistent with the suggestion that gp120 peptide location influences antigen processing, which, in turn, influences the specificity of immunodominant T cells.
Brown
Scott A
SA
Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA.
Lockey
Timothy D
TD
Slaughter
Clive
C
Slobod
Karen S
KS
Surman
Sherri
S
Zirkel
Amy
A
Mishra
Ashutosh
A
Pagala
Vishwajeeth R
VR
Coleclough
Chris
C
Doherty
Peter C
PC
Hurwitz
Julia L
JL
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology*; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014357:Trypsin