The simian immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein contains two epitopes presented by the Mamu-A*01 class I molecule. |
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| Authors: | M Furchner A L Erickson T Allen D I Watkins A Sette P R Johnson C M Walker |
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| Institution: | Children's Research Institute, Children's Hospital, Inc., Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA. |
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| Abstract: | Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) envelope and Gag proteins were monitored in a Mamu-A*01-positive rhesus macaque infected with SIVsmE660. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultured with synthetic peptides spanning the entire gp160 and Gag coding region recognized a total of three epitopes. One located in Gag was identified as the previously described Mamu-A*01-restricted p11cC-->M epitope (CTPYDINQM). The other two epitopes, designated p15m and p54m, were located in the gp160 envelope protein. Both were nine amino acids in length and were predicted to bind Mamu-A*01 because they contained proline and leucine residues at positions 3 and 9, respectively. Indeed, expression of this class I major histocompatibility complex molecule was required for target cell recognition by envelope-specific CD8(+) T cells directed against both epitopes. These Mamu-A*01-restricted epitopes in the SIV envelope will be useful for monitoring immune responses in vaccinated or infected animals. |
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