Control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is associated with HLA-B*13 and targeting of multiple gag-specific CD8+ T-cell epitopes

J Virol. 2007 Apr;81(7):3667-72. doi: 10.1128/JVI.02689-06. Epub 2007 Jan 24.

Abstract

To better understand relationships between CD8+ T-cell specificity and the immune control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), we analyzed the role of HLA-B*13, an allele associated with low viremia, in a cohort of 578 C clade-infected individuals in Durban, South Africa. Six novel B*13-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes were defined from analyses of 37 B*13-positive subjects, including three Gag epitopes. These B*13-restricted epitopes contribute to a broad Gag-specific CD8+ response that is associated with the control of viremia. These data are consistent with data from studies of other HLA-class I alleles associated with HIV control that have shown that the targeting of multiple Gag epitopes is associated with relative suppression of viremia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / chemistry
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Gene Products, gag / genetics
  • Gene Products, gag / immunology*
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • HLA-B Antigens / chemistry
  • HLA-B Antigens / immunology*
  • HLA-B13 Antigen
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation / genetics

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Gene Products, gag
  • HLA-B Antigens
  • HLA-B13 Antigen