Unexpected Diversity of Cellular Immune Responses against Nef and Vif in HIV-1-Infected Patients Who Spontaneously Control Viral Replication

Author(s):Show less -

Tarosso, Leandro F. ^[1] ; Sauer, Mariana M. ^[2] ; Sanabani, Sabri ^[3] ; Giret, Maria Teresa ^[2] ; Tomiyama, Helena I. ^[2] ; Sidney, John ^[4] ; Piaskowski, Shari M. ^[5] ; Diaz, Ricardo S. ^[2] ; Sabino, Ester C. ^[3] ; Sette, Alessandro ^[4] ; Kalil-Filho, Jorge ^[1] ; Watkins, David I. ^[5] ; Kallas, Esper G. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Clin Immunol & Allergy Div, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Div Infect Dis, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Sao Paulo Blood Bank, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] La Jolla Inst Allergy & Immunol, La Jolla, CA - USA

^[5] Univ Wisconsin, Sch Med, Dept Pathol, Madison, WI 53706 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLoS One; v. 5, n. 7 JUL 2 2010.
• Web of Science Citations: 9

Abstract

Background: HIV-1-infected individuals who spontaneously control viral replication represent an example of successful containment of the AIDS virus. Understanding the anti-viral immune responses in these individuals may help in vaccine design. However, immune responses against HIV-1 are normally analyzed using HIV-1 consensus B 15-mers that overlap by 11 amino acids. Unfortunately, this method may underestimate the real breadth of the cellular immune responses against the autologous sequence of the infecting virus. Methodology and Principal Findings: Here we compared cellular immune responses against nef and vif-encoded consensus B 15-mer peptides to responses against HLA class I-predicted minimal optimal epitopes from consensus B and autologous sequences in six patients who have controlled HIV-1 replication. Interestingly, our analysis revealed that three of our patients had broader cellular immune responses against HLA class I-predicted minimal optimal epitopes from either autologous viruses or from the HIV-1 consensus B sequence, when compared to responses against the 15-mer HIV-1 type B consensus peptides. Conclusion and Significance: This suggests that the cellular immune responses against HIV-1 in controller patients may be broader than we had previously anticipated. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 04/15856-9 - Prospective analysis of the virological and immunological characteristics in individuals with recent HIV-1 infection in the cities of São Paulo and Santos
• Grantee: Ricardo Sobhie Diaz
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants