CD8+ T cell recognition of cryptic epitopes is a ubiquitous feature of AIDS virus infection.
Vaccines designed to elicit AIDS virus-specific CD8+ T cells should engender broad responses. Emerging data indicate that alternate reading frames (ARFs) of both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) encode CD8+ T cell epitopes, termed cryptic epitopes. Here, we show that SIV-specific CD8+ T cells from SIV-infected rhesus macaques target 14 epitopes in eight ARFs during SIV infection. Animals recognized up to five epitopes, totaling nearly one-quarter of the anti-SIV responses. The epitopes were targeted by high-frequency responses as early as 2 weeks postinfection and in the chronic phase. Hence, previously overlooked ARF-encoded epitopes could be important components of AIDS vaccines.
Maness
Nicholas J
NJ
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA. njmaness@wisc.edu
Walsh
Andrew D
AD
Piaskowski
Shari M
SM
Furlott
Jessica
J
Kolar
Holly L
HL
Bean
Alexander T
AT
Wilson
Nancy A
NA
Watkins
David I
DI
D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D006678:HIV; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D018449:SAIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D018449:SAIDS Vaccines