title: Measurement of HIV-1 CRF02_AG-specific T cell responses indicates the dominance of a p24gag epitope in blood donors in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
abstract: Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-specific immune responses against subtypes circulating in areas where the virus is endemic is critical for the design of candidate vaccines. In Cote d'Ivoire, the most prevalent HIV-1 subtype is CRF02_AG. We detected T cell responses to CRF02_AG consensus p24(gag) or protease peptides in 81% of HIV-1- or HIV-1/2-infected blood donors in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Both the magnitude and the breadth of interferon- gamma enzyme-linked immunospot responses were inversely correlated with plasma viral load. One frequently recognized peptide in p24(gag) was mapped to the optimal epitope (TPQDLNMML). Further studies of this epitope may be important for the development of HIV-1 vaccines for West Africa and West-Central Africa.
authors.affiliation: Division of AIDS, STD, and TB Laboratory Research, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. achahro@emory.edu
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chahroudi
authors.forename: Souleymane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawadogo
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ellenberger
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pieniazek
authors.forename: Maire-Yolande
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Borget-Alloue
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aidoo
authors.forename: Stephania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koblavi-Deme
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Vina
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maurice
authors.forename: Terence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chorba
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Nkengasong
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McNicholl
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015750:Genes, gag / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral