Definition of an immunodominant T cell epitope contained in the envelope gp41 sequence of HIV-1
Open Access
- 1 January 1992
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Clinical and Experimental Immunology
- Vol. 87 (1), 37-45
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb06410.x
Abstract
The majority of the immunodominant amino acid sequences of HIV-I that have been characterized to date are coded for by hypervariable gene sequences. These variable sequences are however interspersed with sequences that are highly conserved between HIV strains. Immunogenic viral products with amino acid sequences that vary minimally between strains, and that consistently elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses, may be ideal for inclusion in a subunit vaccine. We studied HIV-seronegative and HIV-infected persons, classified as asymptomatic (AS), ARC or AIDS, initially, we assessed the cellular immune status of each subject from results of T cell phenotype analyses, assays for serum levels of surrogate markers of disease progression, and responses to mitogens and recall antigen. In addition, we tested whether three short synthetic peptides derived from the conserved sequences of the envelope gp 120 (aa 262–284) and gp41 (aa 579–601), and core p 17 (aa 106–125) regions of the HTLV-I MB isolate, could elicit B cell as well as T cell responses in HIV-infected subjects. Only the gp41-derived sequence was immunogenic at both B and T cell levels. To further characterize the gp41 epitope. we used a series of overlapping synthetic peptides derived from aeonserved region of the envelope gp41 (aa 572–613). We thus identified an immunodominant 12-mer peptide sequence. gp41 (8K) (aa 593–604), which consistently elicited both T cell blastogenic and B cell (antibody) responses in AS HIV-seropositive individuals but not in ARC and AIDS patients. Linear regression analysis showed that in AS persons there was a strong positive correlation (P+ T cells, may be important in the pathogenesis of HIV disease.Keywords
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- Analysis of physical interactions between peptides and HLA molecules and application to the detection of human immunodeficiency virus 1 antigenic peptides.The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 1990
- Increased serum neopterin in patients with HIV-1 infection is correlated with reduced in vitro interleukin-2 productionClinical and Experimental Immunology, 1990
- The Prognostic Value of Cellular and Serologic Markers in Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1New England Journal of Medicine, 1990
- Use of a conserved immunodominant epitope of HIV surface glycoprotein gp41 in the detection of early antibodiesAIDS, 1990
- A Prospective Study of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection and the Development of AIDS in Subjects with HemophiliaNew England Journal of Medicine, 1989
- Autologous Red Cell Agglutination Assay for HIV-1 Antibodies: Simplified Test with Whole BloodScience, 1988
- CELLULAR ANTI-GP120 CYTOLYTIC REACTIVITIES IN HIV-1 SEROPOSITIVE INDIVIDUALSThe Lancet, 1988
- Diagnosis of AIDS by Using a 12-Amino Acid Peptide Representing an Immunodominant Epitope of the Human Immunodeficiency VirusThe Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1987
- HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in seropositive individualsNature, 1987
- CD8 + Lymphocytes Can Control HIV Infection in Vitro by Suppressing Virus ReplicationScience, 1986