Characterization of Gag and Nef-specific ELISpot-based CTL responses in HIV-1 infected Indian individuals.
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses to Gag have been most frequently linked to control of viremia whereas CTL responses to Nef have direct relationship with viral load. IFN-gamma ELISpot assay was used to screen CTL responses at single peptide level directed at HIV-1 subtype C Gag and Nef proteins in 30 antiretroviral therapy naive HIV-1 infected Indian individuals. PBMCs from 73.3% and 90% of the study population showed response to Gag and Nef antigens, respectively. The magnitude of Gag-specific CTL responses was inversely correlated with plasma viral load (r = -0.45, P = 0.001), whereas magnitude of Nef-specific responses was directly correlated (r = 0.115). Thirteen immunodominant regions (6 in Gag, 7 in Nef) were identified in the current study. The identification of Gag and Nef-specific responses across HIV-1 infected Indian population and targeting epitopes from multiple immunodominant regions may provide useful insight into the designing of new immunotherapy and vaccines.
Mendiratta
Sanjay
S
Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India.
Vajpayee
Madhu
M
Malhotra
Uma
U
Kaushik
Shweta
S
Dar
Lalit
L
Mojumdar
Kamalika
K
Chauhan
Neeraj Kumar
NK
Sreenivas
Vishnubhatla
V
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D007194:India; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology*
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C069261:interferon gamma (1-39); D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514837:nef protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D007371:Interferon-gamma