乙肝患者抗HBs独特型抗体特异性免疫复合物的检测与意义

根据用终浓度分别为35.0g/L和17.5g/L聚乙二醇沉淀循环免疫复合物,去除游离抗HBs-Ab_2,再以胰蛋白酶解离复合物的原理,建立了检测抗HBs-Ab_2-ICs的ELISA法。结果表明,38例急性乙型肝类和83例慢性活动性乙肝患者的IgG、IgM类抗HBs-Ab_2-ICs总阳性率分别为13.2％(5/38)和18.1％(15/83)。IgG、IgM类抗HBs-Ab_2-ICs检出率无显著差异(P>0.05)。实验证实乙肝患者体内存在含抗HBs-Ab_2-ICs。提示抗HBs-Ab_2尚可与抗HBs结合,抑制其中和HBV的作用而利于HBV复制。     

乙型肝炎IgM和IgG—补体双特异性循环免疫复合物的意义

对不同临床类型的乙型肝炎患者,采用捕捉法ＥＬＩＳＡ,以ＩｇＭ和ＩｇＧ类抗体排除抗原性异物的免疫反应进行比较研究。结果发现,两种反应能力在慢性ＨＢＣ感染中基本相同,表现出明显的病型差异,而在急性ＨＢＶ感染中则不同,前者反应强度显著主于后者;二者阳性率在慢性ＨＢＶ感染的临床类型中虽均随其肝损害加重而显著上升,但ＩｇＧ／Ｃ３双特异性循环免疫复合物与ＡＬＴ有关,而ＩｇＭ／Ｃ３－ＴＣＩＣ与ＡＬＴ无关;二者阳     

流行性出血热患者皮肤组织内病毒抗原及免疫复合物检测与意义

应用常规病理、免疫病理及超微病理技术,对３３例流行性出血热（ＥＨＦ）患者皮肤活检标本的病理变化及病毒抗原、免疫复合物进行观察,同时与血清病毒抗原、抗体及循环免疫复合物检出情况进行比较。在２３例ＥＨＦ患者皮肤微血管内皮细胞中检出病毒抗原,部分组织中可同时检出免疫球蛋白及Ｃ３,少数组织仅能检出病毒抗原或免疫球蛋白。配对血清小也可检出ＥＨＦ病毒抗原、抗体及循环免疫复合物。组织及血清免疫复合物形成与血清补体Ｃ３水平下降有关,组织内肥大细胞脱颗粒与血清ＩｇＥ水平升高相关,提示多种变态反应参与了流行性出血热的发病机制。     

检测肾综合征出血热抗原特异性循环免疫复合物ELISA方法的建立

检测肾综合征出血热抗原特异性循环免疫复合物ＥＬＩＳＡ方法的建立张东海,孙辉,高峰（山东省淄博第二卫生学校,淄博２５５０１５）关键词肾综合征出血热病毒,循坏免疫复合物,特异性,ＥＬＩＳＡ肾综合征出血热（ＨＦＲＳ）发病机理有多种学说,其中在体液免疫学说中...     

HFRS患者特异性IgA,IgE抗体及其免疫复合物测定

为进一步研究ＨＦＲＳ免疫损伤机制,用ＥＬＩＳＡ法同步测定了１０８例不同临床型、不同病日、病期ＨＦＲＳ患者血清中特异性ＩｇＡ、ＩｇＥ抗体以及ＨＦＲＳ病毒特异性ＩｇＡ、ＩｇＥ型ＣＩＣ的水平及检出率。发现ＨＦＲＳＩｇＡ型抗体在轻型病例高于中、重型病例;ＨＦＲＳＩｇＥ型抗体及ＩｇＥ型ＣＩＣ在重型病例高于中、轻型病例。上述差异在病程早期（发热、休克少尿期,或是３～８病日）尤为突出。ＩｇＡ型ＣＩＣ则未见到上述差异。     

HFRS患者特异性IgA、IgE抗体及其免疫复合物测定

为进一步研究HFRS免疫损伤机制,用ELISA法同步测定了108例不同临床型、不同病日、病期HFRS患者血清中特异性IgA、IgE抗体以及HFRS病毒特异性IgA、IgE型CIC的水平及检出率.发现HFRS-IgA型抗体在轻型病例高于中、重型病例;HFRS-IgE型抗体及IgE型CIC在重型病例高于中、轻型病例.上述差异在病程早期(发热、休克少尿期,或是3～8病日)尤为突出.IgA型CIC则未见到上述差异.     

肾综合征出血热尸检垂体内免疫复合物的检测

本文对15例尸检肾综合征出血热(HFRS)垂体组织采用了双PAP法进行IgG、IgM、IgA的检测。其中3例作包埋前PAP法免疫电镜IgG的观察。结果显示:IgM 12例明显阳性,IgG 13例明显阳性,IgA 9例明显阳性。主要阳性分布在腺垂体小血管和毛细血管基底膜及部分内皮细胞和少数变性的腺上皮。其中3例免疫电镜观察IgG均可见阳性位于腺上皮细胞扩张的内质网膜上及血管基底膜和内皮细胞膜上。分析探讨了免疫复合物沉积对HFRS患者垂体损伤的机制。     

顶- 底极性复合物与癌症的关系研究进展

顶-底极性是上皮细胞的一项主要特征,参与细胞形态、迁移、功能维持等多个生物学事件。上皮细胞顶-底极性复合物包括PAR复合物、SCRIB复合物和CRB复合物。丧失极性是细胞癌化的标志之一,并且在人类癌症中也发现了顶-底极性复合物的异常表达。本文将就目前有关顶-底极性复合物在癌症方面的研究进行综述,重点阐述顶-底极性复合物在肿瘤发生、发展过程中的作用及调控机制。     

免疫复合物参与冻伤大鼠冻结-融化损伤的研究

目的：了解体液免疫在冻结性冻伤损伤病理生理过程中的作用,为冻结性冻伤的预防和治疗提供依据。方法：实验采用Wistar大鼠冻结性冻伤模型,在冻伤前及冻伤后4h、1d、3d和5d测量三种免疫球蛋白（IgG、IgA和IgM）、两种补体（C3和C4）和血清循环免疫复合物的含量;用免疫荧光标记技术检测骨骼肌中的组织免疫复合物含量;用免疫粘附法观察红细胞表面免疫复合物含量变化。结果：大鼠冻伤后血清IgG急剧下降,冻后4h下降至最低值。IgA在冻伤后1d达到最低。血清IgM浓度在冻伤后逐渐增高,冻后5d继续上升。血清循环免疫复合物浓度在冻后逐渐增高,冻后1d达峰值,为冻前的28、8倍（P〈0.01）。冻伤后1d大鼠骨骼肌开始出现免疫复合物沉积。红细胞表面免疫复合物含量明显高于冻前,冻后3d达到高峰（P〈0．01）。结论：研究结果表明,冻结性冻伤是一种免疫复合物相关性疾病,对此国内、外尚未见报道。     

Protective Role of the Virus-Specific Immune Response for Development of Severe Neurologic Signs in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaques

The pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus-associated motor and cognitive disorders is poorly understood. In this context both a protective and a harmful role of the immune system has been discussed. This question was addressed in the present study by correlating the occurrence of neurologic disease in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaques with disease progression and the humoral and cellular intrathecal antiviral immune response. Overt neurologic signs consisting of ataxia and apathy were observed at a much higher frequency in rapid progressor animals (6 of 12) than in slow progressors (1 of 7). Whereas slow progressors mounted a strong antiviral antibody (Ab) response as evidenced by enzyme-linked immunosorbent and immunospot assays, neither virus-specific Ab titers nor Ab-secreting cells could be found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or brain parenchyma of rapid progressors. Similarly, increased infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for viral antigens were detected only in the CSF of slow progressors. The finding that neurologic signs develop frequently in SIV-infected macaques in the absence of an antiviral immune response demonstrates that the immune system does not contribute to the development of motor disorders in these animals. Moreover, the lower incidence of neurologic symptoms in slow progressors with a strong intrathecal immune response suggests a protective role of the virus-specific immunity in immunodeficiency virus-induced central nervous system disease.     

Genomic Analysis of the Viral Population in Genital Secretions Early after Infection of Simian Immunodeficiency Viruses in Macaque Monkeys

To clarify the change in the viral population during passage from the vaginal cavity to blood circulation and vice versa, we examined the viral clones detected in cells in vaginal washes (VWCs) early after inoculation and after systemic infection with polyclonal SIV. In two intravaginally inoculated monkeys, the viral clones found in VWCs at 18 days p.i. were shown to be some of those contained in the inoculum, whereas the viral population in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was a monotype. This gradual decrease of viral clones suggested the possible existence of two barriers, one at the genital tract and the other between the genital tract and the blood. Later, at one month p.i., the viral clones in VWCs became rather restricted, whereas those in PBMCs diverged from a single clone to several clones. This suggested that different mechanisms affect the viral populations in PBMCs and VWCs. In order to examine how the viral population was affected by passage from the blood to the vaginal cavity, a monkey was intravenously inoculated and the viral clones in VWCs were analyzed at 14 days p.i., at a time of the heterogeneous population in PBMCs. The viral population in VWCs was found to be a single clone and this clone was a minor type in PBMCs, suggesting that the major clone in PBMCs was not always secreted to the vaginal cavity.     

Mauritian Cynomolgus Macaques Share Two Exceptionally Common Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Alleles That Restrict Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cells

Vaccines that elicit CD8⁺ T-cell responses are routinely tested for immunogenicity in nonhuman primates before advancement to clinical trials. Unfortunately, the magnitude and specificity of vaccine-elicited T-cell responses are variable in currently utilized nonhuman primate populations, owing to heterogeneity in major histocompatibility (MHC) class I genetics. We recently showed that Mauritian cynomolgus macaques (MCM) have unusually simple MHC genetics, with three common haplotypes encoding a shared pair of MHC class IA alleles, Mafa-A*25 and Mafa-A*29. Based on haplotype frequency, we hypothesized that CD8⁺ T-cell responses restricted by these MHC class I alleles would be detected in nearly all MCM. We examine here the frequency and functionality of these two alleles, showing that 88% of MCM express Mafa-A*25 and Mafa-A*29 and that animals carrying these alleles mount three newly defined simian immunodeficiency virus-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses. The epitopes recognized by each of these responses accumulated substitutions consistent with immunologic escape, suggesting these responses exert antiviral selective pressure. The demonstration that Mafa-A*25 and Mafa-A*29 restrict CD8⁺ T-cell responses that are shared among nearly all MCM indicates that these animals are an advantageous nonhuman primate model for comparing the immunogenicity of vaccines that elicit CD8⁺ T-cell responses.The immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines intended for human use are commonly evaluated in rhesus and cynomolgus macaques. Indeed, researchers studied an estimated one million macaques in the search for a polio vaccine (5). More recently, these animals have become the dominant preclinical model for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine evaluation. Rhesus and cynomolgus macaques are susceptible to infection with pathogenic strains of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), lentiviruses that share close genetic homology to HIV and cause AIDS-defining illnesses (11, 14). Vaccines designed to provide sterilizing immunity or control immunodeficiency virus replication can therefore be evaluated in macaques. In addition, the immune systems of humans and macaques are highly similar, providing hope that promising vaccines in macaques can be readily adapted for use in humans.CD8⁺ T cells are particularly attractive candidates for vaccine development. Several lines of evidence indicate that CD8⁺ T cells are important to the control of HIV/SIV viral replication. Expansion of HIV/SIV-specific CD8⁺ T cells during acute viremia is associated with a sharp decline in viral load (6, 21, 50), while the depletion of CD8⁺ cells in SIV-infected macaques results in increased viral loads (13, 27) and abrogates the protection elicited by live, attenuated vaccination (30, 38). Furthermore, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotyping studies have identified multiple MHC class I alleles enriched in human and macaque elite controllers (17, 19, 26, 31, 49).Recently, Merck and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network cancelled a phase IIb clinical trial evaluating an HIV vaccine designed to elicit CD8⁺ T-cell immunity. An interim analysis revealed the vaccine was ineffective and that participants with prior immunity to the vaccine vector actually had a higher incidence of HIV infection (7, 28, 39, 43). Dozens of additional vaccines that aim to elicit CD8⁺ T cells are in various stages of preclinical and early-stage clinical development, and testing these vaccines in macaques will provide the proof-of-concept necessary to predict their success.Unfortunately, it has been impossible to definitively associate the breadth, magnitude, or phenotype of SIV-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses, elicited by competing vaccine modalities, to viral control. Indian rhesus macaques are the most commonly used model for HIV vaccine testing but have extremely diverse MHC class I genetics, giving rise to heterogeneous CD8⁺ T-cell responses. SIV derived CD8⁺ T-cell epitopes have been defined for eight Indian rhesus macaque MHC class I alleles (24). However, more than 400 classical MHC class I alleles have been identified in rhesus macaques, leaving an enormous gap in our understanding of the overall CD8⁺ T-cell repertoire following SIV infection (37). Identifying large cohorts of Indian rhesus macaques matched for one or more MHC class I alleles, and thus predicted to mount CD8⁺ T-cell responses against the same epitopes, is both difficult and expensive. An abundant nonhuman primate model with limited MHC diversity could standardize testing of each new vaccine entering preclinical development. Indeed, head-to-head testing of CD8⁺ T-cell vaccines is essential to maximize the efficiency of the global vaccine enterprise and prioritize rapid advancement of promising candidates.In contrast to Indian rhesus macaques, Mauritian cynomolgus macaques (MCM) are an insular population that expanded from a small number of founder animals (23) over the last 500 years. The unique natural history of these animals is manifest by exceptionally low genetic diversity. We have characterized the MHC genetics of this population and found only seven common haplotypes containing fewer than 30 MHC class I alleles (12, 48). The three most common MHC haplotypes each express Mafa-A*25 and Mafa-A*29. We examine here the frequency and functionality of these two alleles, showing that 88% of MCM express Mafa-A*25 and Mafa-A*29 and that animals carrying these alleles mount three newly defined SIV-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses that drive SIV variation. These results suggest that MCM will provide an exceptionally valuable resource for head-to-head evaluations of competing vaccine modalities.     

SYBR Green I实时荧光定量RT-PCR测定猴免疫缺陷病毒RNA拷贝数方法的建立

目的建立SYBR Green I荧光染料实时定量RT-PCR方法,测定猴免疫缺陷病毒(SIV)RNA拷贝数。方法巢式RT-PCR扩增SIV病毒RNAgag基因上1360-1837之间的长度为477 bp的片段,将该片段克隆到pGEMT载体上,构建pGEM-SIVgag477质粒。该质粒经限制性内切酶NotⅠ酶切后,进行体外转录,转录出的RNA产物(RS)纯化后10倍系列稀释,作出标准曲线,作为SIV病毒RNA荧光定量检测的外标准品。结果应用Qiagen公司QuantiTect SYBR GREEN RT-PCR Kit,该标准品可精确定量到100 copies/μL。结论制备的RS外标准品纯度高,SYBR Green I荧光染料实时定量RT-PCR法特异性、敏感性高,稳定性好,可用于定量测定猴免疫缺陷病毒(SIV)RNA拷贝数。     

PCR技术在猴免疫缺陷病毒(SIV)感染模型中的应用

目的(1)建立RT PCR方法,定性测定SIV感染猴血浆中病毒RNA,比较其与传统血浆病毒分离方法的敏感性;(2)建立DNA PCR方法,检测SIV感染猴外周血淋巴细胞(PBMCs)中的前病毒DNA。(3)检验DNA PCR和RNA PCR方法在猴SAIDS模型应用中的实用性和可操作性。方法用SIVmac251静脉感染恒河猴,定期采血,从血浆中提取病毒RNA,以RNA为模板通过RT PCR法扩增,凝胶电泳定性;从感染猴PBMC中提取带有整合的SIV前病毒DNA的细胞基因组DNA,巢式PCR扩增,凝胶电泳定性。结果DNA PCR和RNA PCR经两轮扩增后均得到一长度为477bp的特异条带,测序鉴定确为目的片段。9只实验猴感染SIV后7d,RNA PCR结果为79阳性,DNA PCR结果为100%阳性,而血浆病毒分离只有59阳性;此后一直到感染后的42d,RNA PCR和DNA PCR的结果一直为100%阳性,而血浆病毒分离阳性率在感染后35d下降到49,到42d时下降为零。结论PCR方法比病毒分离方法的敏感性高。尤其是DNA PCR,既可检测具有活跃病毒复制的受感染细胞,又可检测那些携带病毒处于转录休眠期的细胞,所以在感染的早期和中后期———血浆病毒水平较低的情况下或病毒处于潜伏感染的阶段,它作为猴艾滋病(SAIDS)模型病毒学指标之一有其必要性和重要性。这个指标的检测方法应该是较血浆病毒RNA检测更为敏感。     

Induction of Robust Cellular and Humoral Virus-Specific Adaptive Immune Responses in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Humanized BLT Mice

The generation of humanized BLT mice by the cotransplantation of human fetal thymus and liver tissues and CD34⁺ fetal liver cells into nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency mice allows for the long-term reconstitution of a functional human immune system, with human T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, and monocytes/macrophages repopulating mouse tissues. Here, we show that humanized BLT mice sustained high-level disseminated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, resulting in CD4⁺ T-cell depletion and generalized immune activation. Following infection, HIV-specific humoral responses were present in all mice by 3 months, and HIV-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell responses were detected in the majority of mice tested after 9 weeks of infection. Despite robust HIV-specific responses, however, viral loads remained elevated in infected BLT mice, raising the possibility that these responses are dysfunctional. The increased T-cell expression of the negative costimulator PD-1 recently has been postulated to contribute to T-cell dysfunction in chronic HIV infection. As seen in human infection, both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells demonstrated increased PD-1 expression in HIV-infected BLT mice, and PD-1 levels in these cells correlated positively with viral load and inversely with CD4⁺ cell levels. The ability of humanized BLT mice to generate both cellular and humoral immune responses to HIV will allow the further investigation of human HIV-specific immune responses in vivo and suggests that these mice are able to provide a platform to assess candidate HIV vaccines and other immunotherapeutic strategies.An ideal animal model of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains elusive. Nonhuman primates that are susceptible to HIV infection typically do not develop immunodeficiency (63), and although the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques has provided many critically important insights into retroviral pathogenesis (30), biological and financial considerations have created some limitations to the wide dissemination of this model. The great need for an improved animal model of HIV itself recently has been underscored by the disappointing results of human trials of MRKAd5, an adenovirus-based HIV type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine. This vaccine was not effective and actually may have increased some subjects'' risk of acquiring HIV (53). In the wake of these disappointing results, there has been increased interest in humanized mouse models of HIV infection (54). The ability of humanized mouse models to test candidate vaccines or other immunomodulatory strategies will depend critically on the ability of these mice to generate robust anti-HIV human immune responses.Mice have provided important model systems for the study of many human diseases, but they are unable to support productive HIV infection, even when made to express human coreceptors for the virus (7, 37, 52). A more successful strategy to humanize mice has been to engraft human immune cells and/or tissues into immunodeficient severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) or nonobese diabetic (NOD)/SCID mice that are unable to reject xenogeneic grafts (39, 42, 57). Early versions of humanized mice supported productive HIV infection and allowed investigators to begin to address important questions in HIV biology in vivo (23, 40, 43-45). More recently, human cord blood or fetal liver CD34⁺ cells have been used to reconstitute Rag2^−/− interleukin-2 receptor γ chain-deficient (γ_c^−/−) and NOD/SCID/γ_c^−/− mice, resulting in higher levels of sustained human immune cell engraftment (27, 29, 61). These mice have allowed for stable, disseminated HIV infection (2, 4, 24, 65, 67), including mucosal transmission via vaginal and rectal routes (3). These mice recently have been used to demonstrate an important role for Treg cells in acute HIV infection (29) and to demonstrate that the T-cell-specific delivery of antiviral small interfering RNA is able to suppress HIV replication in vivo (31). These mice also have demonstrated some evidence of adaptive human immune responses, including the generation of HIV-specific antibody responses in some infected mice (2, 65), and some evidence of humoral and cell-mediated responses to non-HIV antigens or pathogens (24, 61). Most impressively, Rag2^−/− γ_c^−/− mice reconstituted with human fetal liver-derived CD34⁺ cells have generated humoral responses to dengue virus infection that demonstrated both class switching and neutralizing capacity (32). In spite of these advances, however, these models have not yet been reported to generate de novo HIV-specific cell-mediated immune responses, which are considered to be a crucial arm of host defense against HIV infection in humans.In contrast to humanized mouse models in which only human hematopoietic cells are transferred into immunodeficient mice, the surgical implantation of human fetal thymic and liver tissue has been performed in addition to the transfer of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) to generate mice in which human T cells are educated by autologous human thymic tissue rather than by the xenogeneic mouse thymus. Melkus and colleagues refer to mice they have reconstituted in this way as NOD/SCID-hu BLT (for bone marrow, liver, and thymus), or simply BLT, mice (41). We previously referred to mice that we have humanized in a similar way as NOD/SCID mice cotransplanted with human fetal thymic and liver tissues (Thy/Liv) and CD34⁺ fetal liver cells (FLC) (33, 60) but now adopt the designation BLT mice as well. BLT mice demonstrate the robust repopulation of mouse lymphoid tissues with functional human T lymphocytes (33, 41, 60) and can support the rectal and vaginal transmission of HIV (13, 59). Further, BLT mice demonstrate antigen-specific human immune responses against non-HIV antigens and/or pathogens (41, 60). The ability of these mice to generate human immune responses against HIV, however, has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated whether the provision of autologous human thymic tissue in BLT mice generated by the cotransplantion of human fetal Thy/Liv tissues and CD34⁺ FLC would allow for the maturation of human T cells in humanized mice capable of providing improved cellular responses to HIV as well as providing adequate help for improved humoral responses. To describe the cells contributing to human immune responses in BLT mice, we also characterized the phenotypes of multiple subsets of T cells, B cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and monocytes/macrophages present in uninfected humanized mice. The generation of robust HIV-directed human cellular and humoral immune responses in these mice would further demonstrate the ability of humanized mice to provide a much needed platform for the evaluation of HIV vaccines and other novel immunomodulatory strategies.     

Development of Neurological Disease Is Associated with Increased Immune Activation in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaques

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of macaques can result in central nervous system disorders, such as meningitis and encephalitis. We studied 10 animals inoculated with brain-derived virus from animals with SIV encephalitis. Over half of the macaques developed SIV-induced neurologic disease. Elevated levels of systemic immune activation were observed to correlate with viral RNA in the cerebral spinal fluid but not with plasma viral load, consistent with a role for SIV in the pathogenesis of neurologic disease.     

Impact of Cytotoxic-T-Lymphocyte Memory Induction without Virus-Specific CD4+ T-Cell Help on Control of a Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Challenge in Rhesus Macaques

Despite many efforts to develop AIDS vaccines eliciting virus-specific T-cell responses, whether induction of these memory T cells by vaccination before human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exposure can actually contribute to effective T-cell responses postinfection remains unclear. In particular, induction of HIV-specific memory CD4⁺ T cells may increase the target cell pool for HIV infection because the virus preferentially infects HIV-specific CD4⁺ T cells. However, virus-specific CD4⁺ helper T-cell responses are thought to be important for functional CD8⁺ cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte (CTL) induction in HIV infection, and it has remained unknown whether HIV-specific memory CD8⁺ T cells induced by vaccination without HIV-specific CD4⁺ T-cell help can exert effective responses after virus exposure. Here we show the impact of CD8⁺ T-cell memory induction without virus-specific CD4⁺ T-cell help on the control of a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) challenge in rhesus macaques. We developed a prophylactic vaccine by using a Sendai virus (SeV) vector expressing a single SIV Gag_241-249 CTL epitope fused with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Vaccination resulted in induction of SeV-EGFP-specific CD4⁺ T-cell and Gag_241-249-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses. After a SIV challenge, the vaccinees showed dominant Gag_241-249-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses with higher effector memory frequencies in the acute phase and exhibited significantly reduced viral loads. These results demonstrate that virus-specific memory CD8⁺ T cells induced by vaccination without virus-specific CD4⁺ T-cell help could indeed facilitate SIV control after virus exposure, indicating the benefit of prophylactic vaccination eliciting virus-specific CTL memory with non-virus-specific CD4⁺ T-cell responses for HIV control.Virus-specific T-cell responses are crucial for controlling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication (3, 4, 12, 20, 28, 36, 37). Therefore, a great deal of effort has been exerted to develop AIDS vaccines eliciting virus-specific T-cell responses (23, 27, 30, 47), but whether this approach actually results in HIV control remains unclear (1, 6). It is important to determine which T-cell responses need to be induced by prophylactic vaccination for HIV control after virus exposure.Because HIV preferentially infects HIV-specific CD4⁺ T cells (5), induction of HIV-specific memory CD4⁺ T cells by vaccination may increase the target cell pool for HIV infection and could enhance viral replication (42). However, CD4⁺ helper T-cell responses are important for functional CD8⁺ cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte (CTL) induction (11, 40, 43, 46), and it has remained unknown whether HIV-specific memory CD8⁺ T cells induced by vaccination with non-virus-specific CD4⁺ T-cell help (but without HIV-specific CD4⁺ T-cell help) can exert effective responses after virus exposure. Indeed, the real impact of prophylactic induction of CTL memory itself on HIV replication has not been well documented thus far.We previously developed a prophylactic AIDS vaccine consisting of DNA priming followed by boosting with a recombinant Sendai virus (SeV) vector expressing SIVmac239 Gag (26). Evaluation of this vaccine''s efficacy against a SIVmac239 challenge in Burmese rhesus macaques showed that some vaccinees contained SIV replication whereas unvaccinated animals developed AIDS (15, 27). In particular, vaccination consistently resulted in control of SIV replication in those animals possessing the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) haplotype 90-120-Ia. Gag_206-216 (IINEEAADWDL) and Gag_241-249 (SSVDEQIQW) epitope-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses were shown to be involved in SIV control in these vaccinated macaques (14, 16).In the present study, focusing on CD8⁺ T-cell responses directed against one of these epitopes, we have evaluated the efficacy of a vaccine expressing the Gag_241-249 epitope fused with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) against a SIVmac239 challenge in 90-120-Ia-positive rhesus macaques. The animals exhibited this single-epitope-specific CD8⁺ T-cell response and SeV-EGFP-specific CD4⁺ T-cell responses after vaccination and showed rapid, dominant induction of potent secondary Gag_241-249-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses after a SIV challenge. Plasma viral loads in these vaccinees were significantly reduced compared to those of naive controls. These results indicate that induction of CD8⁺ T-cell memory without virus-specific CD4⁺ T-cell help by prophylactic vaccination can result in effective CD8⁺ T-cell responses after virus exposure.