Group-specific, major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted cytotoxic responses to human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) envelope proteins by cloned peripheral blood T cells from an HIV-1-infected individual

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Nov;85(22):8638-42. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.22.8638.

Abstract

Freshly separated unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and cloned cell lines from a healthy human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1)-seropositive individual were examined for cytotoxic responses to HIV proteins expressed by recombinant vaccinia viruses. It was found that freshly isolated PBMC recognize variant envelope proteins of HIV-1 but not a more distantly related envelope protein derived from the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac). Although the effector cells were predominantly CD8+, both MHC-matched and -unmatched target cells were lysed. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones were found to lyse cells expressing HIV-1 envelope or reverse transcriptase. In contrast to the cytotoxic response detected with PBMC, the cloned CTLs were major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I restricted. Our finding that a cloned CTL line lysed cells expressing highly divergent HIV envelopes strongly suggested that a conserved epitope was recognized. Identification of these shared epitopes may assist in designing a vaccine for HIV-1 that could stimulate MHC-restricted cytotoxic responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / immunology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Clone Cells
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic*
  • Genes, MHC Class I*
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • Humans
  • RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / analysis
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Vaccinia virus / immunology
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase