Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Use of Interferon-γ Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay to Characterize Novel T-cell Epitopes of Human Papillomavirus
13:41

Use of Interferon-γ Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay to Characterize Novel T-cell Epitopes of Human Papillomavirus

Published on: March 8, 2012

Characterization of an HIV-1 p24gag epitope recognized by a CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell clone

F Buseyne1, S Stevanovic, H G Rammensee

  • 1Unité de virologie et d'immunologie cellulaire, URA CNRS 1157, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.

Immunology Letters
|March 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified a specific HIV p24gag epitope recognized by CD8+ T-cells. This recognition was restricted by the HLA-Cw0401 molecule, with variations in peptide presentation observed among different cell lines.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Virology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection involves complex interactions between the virus and the host immune system.
  • Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) play a crucial role in controlling viral infections by recognizing and eliminating infected cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a specific CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell response targeting the HIV p24gag protein.
  • To identify the minimal epitope recognized by the T-cell clone and its associated human leukocyte antigen (HLA) restriction.
  • To investigate the efficiency of peptide presentation by different cell types expressing the identified HLA allele.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of a CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell clone specific for HIV p24gag.
  • Epitope mapping to determine the minimal peptide sequence recognized by the T-cell clone.
  • Cytotoxicity assays using allogeneic target cells expressing specific HLA alleles.
  • Analysis of peptide presentation by engineered cell lines (C1R) and genotyped B-cell lines.

Main Results:

  • A CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell clone recognizing HIV p24gag was successfully isolated.
  • The minimal epitope was identified as amino acids 308-316 (QASQEVKNW).
  • T-cell mediated lysis was restricted by the HLA-Cw0401 molecule.
  • While C1R cells expressing HLA-Cw0401 presented the peptide, other HLA-Cw0401+ B-cell lines showed impaired presentation, suggesting potential HLA-Cw0401 variants or altered cell surface expression.

Conclusions:

  • The study defines a specific HIV p24gag epitope and its HLA-Cw0401 restriction, contributing to understanding T-cell immunity against HIV.
  • Variability in peptide presentation by HLA-Cw0401+ cells highlights the complexity of antigen presentation and potential immune escape mechanisms in HIV infection.
  • Further investigation into HLA-Cw0401 variants and their functional impact is warranted.

More Related Videos

A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses14:23

A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses

Published on: August 31, 2014

Conformational Evaluation of HIV-1 Trimeric Envelope Glycoproteins Using a Cell-based ELISA Assay07:10

Conformational Evaluation of HIV-1 Trimeric Envelope Glycoproteins Using a Cell-based ELISA Assay

Published on: September 14, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens01:29

Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens

The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...