The Th1 immune response against HIV-1 Gag p24-derived peptides in mice expressing HLA-A02.01 and HLA-DR1.
Using HLA-DR1-transgenic H-2 class II knockout mice, we identified two new HLA-DR1-restricted HIV-1 Gag p24-derived epitopes (Gag(321-340 )and Gag(331-350)) and confirmed the immunogenicity of seven that have been previously described. The human relevance was confirmed for the two new ones (Gag(321-340 )and Gag(331-350)) assaying peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HLA-DR1(+) HIV-1-infected long-term asymptomatic subjects and showing that Gag(331-350) could prime CD4(+) T cells from two HLA-DR1(+) HIV-1 seronegative donors in vitro. Seven of these epitopes, structurally conserved among HIV-1 clade B isolates, were selected for a comparative evaluation of their Th1 helper potential by immunizing HLA-A02.01/HLA-DR1-transgenic, H-2 class I/class II knockout mice with recombinant mouse invariant chain constructs in which each helper epitope was inserted in association with two reporter HIV-1-derived HLA-A02.01-restricted CD8(+) T cell epitopes. A T helper effect was demonstrated in all cases, and was particularly strong with epitopes Gag(301-320),Gag(321-340 )and Gag(271-290), which should, therefore, be considered in the design of new vaccines.
Unité d'Immunité Cellulaire Antivirale, Département d'Immunologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Anthony
A
Pajot
Aurélie
A
Schnuriger
Arnaud
A
Moris
Audrey
A
Rodallec
David M
DM
Ojcius
Brigitte
B
Autran
François A
FA
Lemonnier
Yu-Chun
YC
Lone
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C435939:HLA-A*02:01 antigen; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen; D010446:Peptide Fragments