title: AIDS virus specific CD8+ T lymphocytes against an immunodominant cryptic epitope select for viral escape.
abstract: Cryptic major histocompatibility complex class I epitopes have been detected in several pathogens, but their importance in the immune response to AIDS viruses remains unknown. Here, we show that Mamu-B*17(+) simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)mac239-infected rhesus macaques that spontaneously controlled viral replication consistently made strong CD8(+) T lymphocyte (CD8-TL) responses against a cryptic epitope, RHLAFKCLW (cRW9). Importantly, cRW9-specific CD8-TL selected for viral variation in vivo and effectively suppressed SIV replication in vitro, suggesting that they might play a key role in the SIV-specific response. The discovery of an immunodominant CD8-TL response in elite controller macaques against a cryptic epitope suggests that the AIDS virus-specific cellular immune response is likely far more complex than is generally assumed.
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Maness
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: Gemma E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Shari M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Piaskowski
authors.forename: Taeko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soma
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furlott
authors.forename: Eva G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Rakasz
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gostick
authors.forename: Austin L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sidney
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sette
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Watkins
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000276:immunology; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes