Chinese origin rhesus macaque major histocompatibility complex class I molecules promiscuously present epitopes from SIV associated with molecules of Indian origin; implications for immunodominance and viral escape

Immunogenetics. 2011 Sep;63(9):587-97. doi: 10.1007/s00251-011-0538-4. Epub 2011 May 31.

Abstract

The presentation of identical peptides by different major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules, termed promiscuity, is a controversial feature of T cell-mediated immunity to pathogens. The astounding diversity of MHC-I molecules in human populations, presumably to enable binding of equally diverse peptides, implies promiscuity would be a rare phenomenon. However, if it occurs, it would have important implications for immunity. We screened 77 animals for responses to peptides known to bind MHC-I molecules that were not expressed by these animals. Some cases of supposed promiscuity were determined to be the result of either non-identical optimal peptides or were simply not mapped to the correct MHC-I molecule in previous studies. Cases of promiscuity, however, were associated with alterations of immunodominance hierarchies, either in terms of the repertoire of peptides presented by the different MHC-I molecules or in the magnitude of the responses directed against the epitopes themselves. Specifically, we found that the Mamu-B*017:01-restricted peptides Vif HW8 and cRW9 were also presented by Mamu-A2*05:26 and targeted by an animal expressing that allele. We also found that the normally subdominant Mamu-A1*001:01 presented peptide Gag QI9 was also presented by Mamu-B*056:01. Both A2*05:26 and B*056:01 are molecules typically or exclusively expressed by animals of Chinese origin. These data clearly demonstrate that MHC-I epitope promiscuity, though rare, might have important implications for immunodominance and for the transmission of escape mutations, depending on the relative frequencies of the given alleles in a population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • China
  • Genes, MHC Class I / immunology*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology
  • Immunodominant Epitopes / immunology*
  • India
  • Macaca mulatta / immunology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / immunology*
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / immunology*

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Immunodominant Epitopes