MVA-nef induces HIV-1-specific polyfunctional and proliferative T-cell responses revealed by the combination of short- and long-term immune assays

ABSTRACTThe spontaneous control of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV/SIV) is typically associated with specific major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I alleles and efficient CD8+T-cell responses, but many controllers maintain viral control despite a nonprotective MHC background and weak CD8+T-cell responses. Therefore, the contribution of this response to maintaining long-term viral control remains unclear. To address this question, we transiently depleted CD8+T cells from five SIV-infected cynomolgus macaques with long-term viral control and weak CD8+T-cell responses. Among them, only one carried the protective MHC allele H6. After depletion, four of five controllers experienced a transient rebound of viremia. The return to undetectable viremia was accompanied by only modest expansion of SIV-specific CD8+T cells that lacked efficient SIV suppression capacityex vivo. In contrast, the depletion was associated with homeostatic activation/expansion of CD4+T cells that correlated with viral rebound. In one macaque, viremia remained undetectable despite efficient CD8+cell depletion and inducible SIV replication from its CD4+T cellsin vitro. Altogether, our results suggest that CD8+T cells are not unique contributors to the long-term maintenance of low viremia in this SIV controller model and that other mechanisms, such as weak viral reservoirs or control of activation, may be important players in control.IMPORTANCESpontaneous control of HIV-1 to undetectable levels is associated with efficient anti-HIV CD8+T-cell responses. However, in some cases, this response fades over time, although viral control is maintained, and many HIV controllers (weak responders) have very low frequencies of HIV-specific CD8+T cells. In these cases, the importance of CD8 T cells in the maintenance of HIV-1 control is questionable. We developed a nonhuman primate model of durable SIV control with an immune profile resembling that of weak responders. Transient depletion of CD8+cells induced a rise in the viral load. However, viremia was correlated with CD4+T-cell activation subsequent to CD8+cell depletion. Regain of viral control to predepletion levels was not associated with restoration of the anti-SIV capacities of CD8+T cells. Our results suggest that CD8+T cells may not be involved in maintenance of viral control in weak responders and highlight the fact that additional mechanisms should not be underestimated.

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Emergence of Individual HIV-Specific CD8 T Cell Responses during Primary HIV-1 Infection Can Determine Long-Term Disease Outcome

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.02016-14 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 88 (21) ◽

pp. 12793-12801 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

H. Streeck ◽

R. Lu ◽

N. Beckwith ◽

M. Milazzo ◽

M. Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cell ◽

T Cell Responses ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Disease Outcome ◽

Cell Responses ◽

Hiv 1

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Long-Term Specific Immune Responses Induced in Humans by a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Lipopeptide Vaccine: Characterization of CD8+-T-Cell Epitopes Recognized

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.77.20.11220-11231.2003 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 77 (20) ◽

pp. 11220-11231 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Hanne Gahéry-Ségard ◽

Gilles Pialoux ◽

Suzanne Figueiredo ◽

Céline Igéa ◽

Mathieu Surenaud ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

T Cell ◽

T Cell Responses ◽

T Cell Epitopes ◽

Cell Responses ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Hiv 1

ABSTRACT We studied the effect of booster injections and the long-term immune response after injections of an anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) lipopeptide vaccine. This vaccine was injected alone or with QS21 adjuvant to 28 HIV-uninfected volunteers. One month later, after a fourth injection of the vaccine, B- and T-cell anti-HIV responses were detected in >85% of the vaccinated volunteers. One year after this injection, a long-term immune response was observed in >50% of the volunteers. At this point, a positive QS21 effect was observed only in the sustained B-cell and CD4+-T-cell responses. To better characterize the CD8+-T-cell response, we used a gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot method and a bank of 59 HIV-1 epitopes. For the six most common HLA molecules (HLA-A2, -A3, -A11, -A24, -B7 superfamily, and -B8), an average of 10 (range, 3 to 15) HIV-1 epitopes were tested. CD8+-T-cell responses were evaluated according to the HLA class I molecules of the volunteers. Each assessment was based on 18 HIV-1 epitopes in average. We showed that 31 HIV-1 epitopes elicited specific CD8+-T-cell responses after vaccination. The most frequently recognized peptides were Nef 68-76 (-B7), Nef 71-79 (-B7), Nef 84-92 (-A11), Nef 135-143 (-B7), Nef 136-145 (-A2), Nef 137-145 (-A2), Gag 259-267 (-B8), Gag 260-268 (-A2), Gag 267-274 (-A2), Gag 267-277 (-B7), and Gag 276-283 (A24). We found that CD8+-T-cell epitopes were induced at a higher number after a fourth injection (P < 0.05 compared to three injections), which indicates an increase in the breadth of HIV CD8+-T-cell epitope recognition after the boost.

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