title: Efficacious early antiviral activity of HIV Gag- and Pol-specific HLA-B 2705-restricted CD8+ T cells.
abstract: The association between HLA-B 2705 and the immune control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has previously been linked to the targeting of the HLA-B 2705-restricted Gag epitope KRWIILGLNK (KK10) by CD8(+) T cells. In order to better define the mechanisms of the HLA-B 2705 immune control of HIV, we first characterized the CD8(+) T-cell responses of nine highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-naïve B 2705-positive subjects. Unexpectedly, we observed a strong response to an HLA-B 2705-restricted Pol epitope, KRKGGIGGY (KY9), in 8/9 subjects. The magnitude of the KY9 response was only marginally lower than that of the KK10-specific response (median, 695 versus 867 spot-forming cells [SFC]/million peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs]; not significant [NS]), and viral escape mutants were observed in both KY9 and KK10, resulting from selection pressure driven by the respective CD8(+) T-cell response. By comparing inhibitions of viral replication by CD8(+) T cells specific for the Gag KK10, Pol KY9, and Vpr VL9 HLA-B 2705-restricted epitopes, we observed a consistent hierarchy of antiviral efficacy (Gag KK10 > Pol KY9 > Vpr VL9). This hierarchy was associated with early recognition of HIV-1-infected cells, within 6 h of infection, by KK10- and KY9-specific CD8(+) T cells but not until 18 h postinfection by VL9-specific CD8(+) T cells. There was no association between antiviral efficacy and proliferative capacity, cytotoxicity, polyfunctionality, or T-cell receptor (TCR) avidity. These data are consistent with previous studies indicating an important role for the B 2705-Gag KK10 response in the control of HIV but also suggest a previously unrecognized role played by the subdominant Pol-specific KY9 response in HLA-B 2705-mediated control of HIV and that the recognition of HIV-infected cells by CD8(+) T cells early in the viral life cycle may be important for viral containment in HIV-infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom. rebecca.payne@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Rebecca P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kløverpris
authors.forename: Jonah B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sacha
authors.forename: Zabrina
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Brumme
authors.forename: Chanson
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brumme
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buus
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hickling
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riddell
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Graz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luzzi
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Julia G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Philip J R
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Goulder
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000235:genetics; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D054302:pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015488:HIV Antigens; C464936:HLA-B*27:05 antigen; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054302:pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514912:vpr protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1