title: Identification and characterization of 2 HIV-1 Gag immunodominant epitopes restricted by Asian HLA allele HLA-B*4801.
abstract: HLA-B*4801 is frequently found in Asian populations but rarely in Caucasian or African populations. Although HLA-B*4801-restricted human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) epitopes would be useful for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) vaccine development in Asia, they have not been reported so far. In the present study, we sought to identify HLA-B*4801-restricted HIV-1 epitopes by using 17-mer overlapping peptides derived from HIV-1 Gag, Pol, and Nef as well as 8- to 11-mer truncated peptides, and thereby identified two HLA-B*4801-restricted Gag epitopes. These epitope-specific CD8(+) T cells strongly responded to HIV-1-infected cells expressing HLA-B*4801, confirming that these Gag epitopes were endogenously presented by HLA-B*4801. These epitope-specific CD8(+) T cells were elicited in five of the seven tested chronically HIV-1-infected individuals with HLA-B*4801, suggesting them to be immunodominant epitopes. These epitopes will be useful for the studies of AIDS immunopathogenesis and the development of an HIV-1 vaccine in Asia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Viral Immunology, Center for AIDS Research, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hayato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakoshi
authors.forename: Mitsutaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akahoshi
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Sachi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dohki
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054302:pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514837:nef protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D054302:pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D007371:Interferon-gamma