Abstract
Elite controllers (EC) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) maintain viremia below the limit of detection without antiretroviral treatment. Virus-specific cytotoxic CD8(+) T lymphocytes are believed to play a crucial role in viral containment, but the degree of immune imprinting and compensatory mutations in EC is unclear. We obtained plasma gag, pol, and nef sequences from HLA-diverse subjects and found that 30 to 40% of the predefined HLA-associated polymorphic sites show evidence of immune selection pressure in EC, compared to approximately 50% of the sites in chronic progressors. These data indicate ongoing viral replication and escape from cytotoxic T lymphocytes are present even in strictly controlled HIV-1 infection.
Publication types
-
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / genetics
-
Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
-
HIV Infections / immunology*
-
HIV Infections / virology*
-
HIV Long-Term Survivors*
-
HIV-1 / genetics*
-
HIV-1 / immunology*
-
Humans
-
Mutation, Missense / immunology*
-
Plasma / virology
-
Polymorphism, Genetic
-
Selection, Genetic
-
Viral Load
-
Viremia / immunology
-
gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
-
nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
-
pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
Substances
-
Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
-
gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
-
nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
-
nef protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
-
pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus