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CTL responses to the gag polyprotein encoded by the murine AIDS defective retrovirus are strain dependent
1Department of Microbiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH 03756.
Murine AIDS (MAIDS) is induced by a mixture of retroviruses, of which a replication defective virus is the proximal agent of disease. This defective virus harbors a single intact gene that encodes an aberrant gag polyprotein. Certain mouse strains are genetically resistant to MAIDS, with several genes, including H-2Dd, contributing to this resistance. Because MHC class I gene products present intracellular Ags to CTL, recombinant viruses were used to determine whether gag-specific CTLs mediate the genetic linkage between H-2Dd and resistance. Interestingly, while genetically resistant BALB/cByJ and C57BL/KsJ mice (H-2d) generated gag-specific CD8+ CTLs, a similar response was not detected in susceptible BALB.B and C57BL/6J mice (H-2b). However, this CTL response does not appear to be responsible for genetic resistance because: 1) a vigorous CTL response could also be generated by susceptible (C57BL/6 x BALB/cBy) F1 mice and 2) the relevant epitope is H-2Kd restricted.
Murine AIDS (MAIDS) is induced by a mixture of retroviruses, of which a replication defective virus is the proximal agent of disease. This defective virus harbors a single intact gene that encodes an aberrant gag polyprotein. Certain mouse strains are genetically resistant to MAIDS, with several genes, including H-2Dd, contributing to this resistance. Because MHC class I gene products present intracellular Ags to CTL, recombinant viruses were used to determine whether gag-specific CTLs mediate the genetic linkage between H-2Dd and resistance. Interestingly, while genetically resistant BALB/cByJ and C57BL/KsJ mice (H-2d) generated gag-specific CD8+ CTLs, a similar response was not detected in susceptible BALB.B and C57BL/6J mice (H-2b). However, this CTL response does not appear to be responsible for genetic resistance because: 1) a vigorous CTL response could also be generated by susceptible (C57BL/6 x BALB/cBy) F1 mice and 2) the relevant epitope is H-2Kd restricted.