Identification and characterization of 2 HIV-1 Gag immunodominant epitopes restricted by Asian HLA allele HLA-B*4801.
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.
Murakoshi
Hayato
H
Division of Viral Immunology, Center for AIDS Research, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Kitano
Mitsutaka
M
Akahoshi
Tomohiro
T
Kawashima
Yuka
Y
Dohki
Sachi
S
Oka
Shinichi
S
Takiguchi
Masafumi
M
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
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