Lack of strong immune selection pressure by the immunodominant, HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in chronic human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection.

Despite detailed analysis of the HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte response by various groups, its relation to viral load and viral sequence variation remains controversial. We analyzed HLA-A*0201 restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in 17 HIV-1-infected individuals with viral loads ranging from < 400 to 221,000 HIV RNA molecules per milliliter of plasma. In 13 out of 17 infected subjects, CTL responses against the SLYNTVATL epitope (p17 Gag; aa 77-85) were detectable, whereas two other HLA-A*0201 restricted epitopes (ILKEPVHGV, IV9; and VIYQYMDDL, VL9) were only recognized by six and five individuals out of 17 individuals tested, respectively. Naturally occurring variants of the SL9 epitope were tested for binding to HLA-A*0201 and for recognition by specific T cell clones generated from five individuals. Although these variants were widely recognized, they differed by up to 10,000-fold in terms of variant peptide concentrations required for lysis of target cells. A comparison of viral sequences derived from 10 HLA-A*0201-positive individuals to sequences obtained from 11 HLA-A*0201-negative individuals demonstrated only weak evidence for immune selective pressure and thus question the in vivo efficacy of immunodominant CTL responses present during chronic HIV-1 infection.     

结核杆菌抗原Rv0173的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位的预测及鉴定

目的 鉴定结核杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Mtb)抗原Rv0173中的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位.方法 应用数据库SYFPETTHI预测结核杆菌Rv0173中可能存在的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位,经流式细胞术分析各抗原肽与HLA-A*0201的亲合力,经时间分辨荧光法检测外周血单个核细胞(PBMCs)对各抗原肽产生的增殖反应,经细胞毒性实验研究各抗原肽诱导的特异性T细胞的细胞毒杀伤活性,逐步鉴定Rv0173的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位.结果 位于Rv0173氨基酸序列肽3(21-30aa)和抗原肽7(161-170aa)与HLA-A*0201分子具有较高的亲合力,并都能刺激HLA-A*0201阳性个体PBMCs增殖,并诱导产生特异性杀伤活性.结论 肽3(RLSQSADQYL)(21-30aa)和肽7(LLRGGGLVNL)(161-170aa)是抗原Rv0173上HLA-A*0201限制性CTL的优势表位,可作为结核疫苗设计的候选表位.     

Substantial differences in specificity of HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells in acute and chronic HIV infection

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a vital part in controlling viral replication during human viral infections. Most studies in human infections have focused on CTL specificities in chronic infection and few data exist regarding the specificity of the initial CTL response induced in acute infection. In this study, HIV-1 infection in persons expressing human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201 was used as a means of addressing this issue. In chronic infection, the dominant HLA-A*0201-restricted CTL response is directed towards the epitope SLYNTVATL ("SL9") in p17 Gag (residues 77-85). This epitope is targeted by 75% of HLA-A*0201-positive adults, and the magnitude of this A*0201-SL9 response shows a strong negative association with viral load in progressive infection. Despite using the highly sensitive peptide-major histocompatibility complex tetramer and intracellular cytokine assays, responses to the SL9 epitope were not detectable in any of 11 HLA-A*0201-positive subjects with acute HIV-1 infection (P = 2 x 10(-6)), even when assays were repeated using the SL9 peptide variant that was encoded by their autologous virus. In contrast, multiple responses (median 3) to other epitopes were evident in 7 of the 11 A*0201-positive subjects. Longitudinal study of two subjects confirmed that the A*0201-SL9 response emerged later than other CTL responses, and after viral set point had been reached. Together, these data show that the CTL responses that are present and that even may dominate in chronic infection may differ substantially from those that constitute the initial antiviral CTL response. This finding is an important consideration in vaccine design and in the evaluation of vaccine candidates.     

WT1抗原多表位与热休克蛋白70刺激表位融合基因疫苗的构建、表达及免疫原性研究

本研究用基因工程方法构建一种由WT1抗原多表位与结核分枝杆菌热休克蛋白70(mHSP70)刺激表位组成的融合基因疫苗并检测其表达和病疫原性.根据文献资料,筛选WT1抗原有良好免疫原性的3个受HLA0201与1个受HLA2402限制性的细胞毒性T细胞(CTL)表位及2个辅助性T细胞(Th)表位,加入通用外源性T细胞刺激表位Pan-DR-Th(PADRE)后,以不同的间隔序列相连,蛋白酶体切割软件优化多表位构成,合成1条由732 bp组成的多表位WT1基因片段,并插入真核表达质粒pcDNA3.1(+)中.通过PCR技术从结核分支杆菌基因组(mycobacterium tuberculosis heat shock protein 70,mHSP70)中扩增包含mHSP70刺激表位的DNA片段,亚克隆至pcDNA3.1(+),测序正确后将含有多表位的WT1基因片段亚克隆入该载体上游,构建融合基因疫苗pcDNA3.1-WT1-mHSP70(407-426).用RT-PCR方法检测该基因在293T细胞表达,并免疫C57BL/6小鼠,酶联免疫吸附斑点法(ELISPOT)检测该疫苗的细胞免疫学反应.结果表明:通过蛋白酶体切割工具PAPROC及NETCHOP3.1预测,复合多表位基因工程疫苗各表位可被正确裂解,PCR和酶切鉴定结果表明,构建的重组真核表达质粒pcDNA3.1-WT1-mHSP70(407-426)含有正确编码的融合基因片段,并在真核细胞获得了正确表达.将该基因疫苗免疫小鼠后,可诱导特异性的CTL应答.结论:成功构建含有WT1多表位与热休克蛋白70刺激表位融合基因疫苗.     

Patterns of Immunodominance in HIV-1–specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Responses in Two Human Histocompatibility Leukocyte Antigens (HLA)-identical Siblings with HLA-A*0201 Are Influenced by Epitope Mutation

Primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is controlled principally by HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) to a steady-state level of virus load, which strongly influences the ultimate rate of progression to disease. Epitope selection by CTL may be an important determinant of the degree of immune control over the virus. This report describes the CTL responses of two HLA-identical hemophiliac brothers who were exposed to identical batches of Factor VIII and became seropositive within 10 wk of one another. Both have HLA-A*0201. The CTL responses of the two siblings were very dissimilar, one donor making strong responses to two epitopes within p17 Gag (HLA-A*0201–restricted SLYNTVATL and HLA-A3–restricted RLRPGGKKK). The sibling responded to neither epitope, but made strong responses to two epitopes presented by HLA-B7. This was not the result of differences in presentation of the epitopes. However, mutations in both immunodominant epitopes of the p17 Gag responder were seen in proviral sequences of the nonresponder. We then documented the CTL responses to two HLA-A*0201–restricted epitopes, in Gag (SLYNTVATL) and Pol (ILKEPVHGV) in 22 other HIV-infected donors with HLA-A*0201. The majority (71%) generated responses to the Gag epitope. In the 29% of donors failing to respond to the Gag epitope in standard assays, there was evidence of low frequency memory CTL responses using peptide stimulation of PBMC, and most of these donors also showed mutations in or around the Gag epitope. We concluded that HLA class I genotype determines epitope selection initially but that mutation in immunodominant epitopes can profoundly alter the pattern of CTL response.CTLs play a central role in the immune response to virus infections (1–4). In HIV infection, CTLs are responsible for the clearance of viremia after primary infection (5–6), and there is strong evidence that they also contribute to prolongation of the disease-free phase of infection (7–10). However, it is not possible to distinguish slow progressors from rapid progressors on the basis of CTL precursor frequency during this asymptomatic phase of infection (9). One explanation is that CTL responses may differ qualitatively. Responses directed at more conserved regions of the virus may be qualitatively superior, because there is less scope for CTL escape mutation to occur without simultaneously damaging the fitness of the virus itself.Support for qualitative differences in CTL responses derives from studies of HLA associations with rate of progression in HIV infection. HLA class I molecules such as HLAB27, HLA-B57, and HLA-B51 have been linked with slow progression, while HLA-B8 and HLA-B35 have been associated with rapid development of disease in several studies (11–13). In one study of slow progressors with HLA-B57, all seven donors tested made the immunodominant response through HLA-B57 rather than any other of their class I molecules (14).The strong influence of the HLA class I genotype of an individual upon the selection of HIV-specific immunodominant epitopes has been observed for HLA-B27 (10), HLA-B14 (15), and many other examples in other virus infections, for example HLA-A11–restricted Epstein–Barr virus–specific responses (16). In general, patients with a given HLA type react to HIV epitopes in a predictable way (17). Particular MHC molecules may be associated with slow progression because, by chance, the immunodominant epitopes selected are relatively invariant. Switching an individual''s immunodominant response away from a variable region of the virus towards a highly conserved region might prove to be a valuable therapeutic option.It is not known what determines the immunodominance of an individual''s CTL response. Possible selective events include specificity of the proteases (18–19), TAP (antigen processing-associated transporter)-dependent transport into the endoplasmic reticulum (20–21), binding affinities of peptides to class I molecules (22), and the stability of peptide–MHC complexes on the cell surface (16, 23). Also, the T cell repertoires may contribute significantly. Some CTL responses to dominant epitopes are oligoclonal, with very similar or even identical TCRs used in different individuals, implying selection among the T cells used by particular epitopes (24–26).We have studied two HLA-identical hemophiliac siblings within a cohort of HIV-infected donors who have HLA-A*0201. These brothers first tested seropositive within 10 wk of one another in 1983 and 1984, as a result of exposure to an identical batch of HIV-contaminated Factor VIII concentrate. The CTL responses of these HLA-identical siblings are substantially different, correlating with the presence of striking epitope mutations within the provirus of the nonresponder.The CTL response of these and 22 other HLA-A*0201– positive individuals to two well-defined HLA-A*0201– restricted epitopes, SLYNTVATL (p17 Gag, HIV-1 LAI residues 77–85 [27]) and ILKEPVHGV (Pol, residues 476–484 [28]) has been plotted. The majority of donors generate dominant responses to the Gag epitope, a minority prefer the Pol epitope, and most of this latter group show mutations in or around the Gag epitope.     

Efficient identification of novel HLA-A(*)0201-presented cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes in the widely expressed tumor antigen PRAME by proteasome-mediated digestion analysis

We report the efficient identification of four human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A(*)0201-presented cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes in the tumor-associated antigen PRAME using an improved "reverse immunology" strategy. Next to motif-based HLA-A(*)0201 binding prediction and actual binding and stability assays, analysis of in vitro proteasome-mediated digestions of polypeptides encompassing candidate epitopes was incorporated in the epitope prediction procedure. Proteasome cleavage pattern analysis, in particular determination of correct COOH-terminal cleavage of the putative epitope, allows a far more accurate and selective prediction of CTL epitopes. Only 4 of 19 high affinity HLA-A(*)0201 binding peptides (21%) were found to be efficiently generated by the proteasome in vitro. This approach avoids laborious CTL response inductions against high affinity binding peptides that are not processed and limits the number of peptides to be assayed for binding. CTL clones induced against the four identified epitopes (VLDGLDVLL, PRA(100-108); SLYSFPEPEA, PRA(142-151); ALYVDSLFFL, PRA(300-309); and SLLQHLIGL, PRA(425-433)) lysed melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, lung carcinoma, and mammary carcinoma cell lines expressing PRAME and HLA-A(*)0201. This indicates that these epitopes are expressed on cancer cells of diverse histologic origin, making them attractive targets for immunotherapy of cancer.     

Cytotoxic T cell responses to multiple conserved HIV epitopes in HIV-resistant prostitutes in Nairobi.

Many people who remain persistently seronegative despite frequent HIV exposure have HIV-specific immune responses. The study of these may provide information about mechanisms of natural protective immunity to HIV-1. We describe the specificity of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to HIV in seronegative prostitutes in Nairobi who are apparently resistant to HIV infection. These women have had frequent exposure to a range of African HIV-1 variants, primarily clades A, C, and D, for up to 12 yr without becoming infected. Nearly half of them have CTL directed towards epitopes previously defined for B clade virus, which are largely conserved in the A and D clade sequences. Stronger responses are frequently elicited using the A or D clade version of an epitope to stimulate CTL, suggesting that they were originally primed by exposure to these virus strains. CTL responses have been defined to novel epitopes presented by HLA class I molecules associated with resistance to infection in the cohort, HLA-A*6802 and HLA-B18. Estimates using a modified interferon-gamma Elispot assay indicate a circulating frequency of CTL to individual epitopes of between 1:3,200 and 1:50,000. Thus, HIV-specific immune responses-particularly cross-clade CTL activity- may be responsible for protection against persistent HIV infection in these African women.     

KLIANNTRV是结核抗原Ag85A的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位

目的鉴定结核杆菌抗原Ag85A的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL优势表位。方法采用数据库SYFPEITHI初步预测结核抗原Ag85A的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位;经流式细胞术分析抗原肽与HLA-A*0201的亲和力;经时间荧光分辨法检测患者外周血单个核细胞(PBMCs)对抗原肽的增殖反应;最后通过细胞毒实验逐步鉴定Ag85A的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL预测的表位。结果实验证明,预测的位于Ag85A氨基酸序列(242-250aa)的肽表位与HLA-A*0201具有较高的亲和力。结论筛选出的KLIANNTRV(242-250aa)是结核杆菌抗原Ag85A的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL优势表位。     

Lentiviral vectors encoding HIV-1 polyepitopes induce broad CTL responses in vivo.

Lentiviral vectors have been tested as vaccination vectors in anti-tumoral and anti-viral models. They efficiently transduce dendritic cells and stimulate strong T-cell responses against the encoded antigen. However, their capacity to stimulate a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response against several antigens has not been evaluated. Broad anti-human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) T-cell immune responses are important for the control of HIV replication. We evaluated the potential of polyepitope-encoding lentiviral vectors to induce broad anti-HIV CTL responses. We constructed two lentiviral vectors coding for an HLA-A2- or HLA-B7-restricted polyepitope and evaluated their immunogenicity by direct injection of vector particles in HLA-A2 or HLA-B7 transgenic mice. In vitro cytotoxicity assays showed that a single immunization induces a strong, diversified, and long-lasting CTL response in both mouse models. CTL responses were directed against all 13 epitopes in the HLA-A2 system and 8 out of 12 in the HLA-B7 system. A second immunization augmented the number of responding mice in the HLA-A2 system but not in the HLA-B7 system. HLA-B7-immunized mice mounted strong interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-secreting T-cell responses against a majority of the epitopes and lysed peptide-loaded target cells in vivo. CTL responses in HLA-B7 mice were only partially dependent on CD4 T-cell help. This work underlines the potential of lentiviral vectors as candidates for therapeutic vaccination against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.     

Detection of T helper responses, but not of human papillomavirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses, after peptide vaccination of patients with cervical carcinoma

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-encoded E7 oncoprotein is constitutively expressed in cervical carcinoma cells and is required for cellular transformation to be maintained. The E7 protein, therefore, forms an attractive target for T-cell-mediated immune intervention to prevent or treat HPV16+ tumors. The authors performed a peptide-based phase I/II vaccination trial to induce anti-tumor immune responses in patients with recurrent or residual cervical carcinoma. Fifteen HLA-A*0201+ patients with HPV16+ cervical carcinoma received vaccinations with synthetic peptides representing 2 HPV16 E7-encoded, HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes and a pan-HLA-DR-binding T-helper epitope, PADRE, in adjuvant. No signs of toxicity were observed. Two patients had stable disease for more than 1 year after vaccination, 3 patients died of the disease during or shortly after the vaccination period, and 10 patients maintained progressive cervical carcinoma. Specific immune responses directed against the vaccine components were analyzed in peripheral blood samples. No cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses against the HPV16 E7 peptides were detectable. After vaccination, strong PADRE helper peptide-specific proliferation was detected in 4 of 12 patients. In conclusion, peptide vaccination with 2 HPV16 E7 cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes and a universal T helper epitope is well tolerated by patients with advanced cervical carcinoma. Despite a reduction of in vitro cytolytic or proliferative recall responses to some, but not all, conventional antigens in this patient group, peptide-specific proliferative responses were induced in 4 patients. Based on the current study, it is now feasible to perform peptide vaccination in earlier stages of HPV16-induced cervical disease.     

Poor immunogenicity of a self/tumor antigen derives from peptide-MHC-I instability and is independent of tolerance

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the poor immunogenicity of human self/tumor antigens is challenging because of experimental limitations in humans. Here, we developed a human-mouse chimeric model that allows us to investigate the roles of the frequency and self-reactivity of antigen-specific T cells in determination of the immunogenicity of an epitope (amino acids 209-217) derived from a human melanoma antigen, gp100. In these transgenic mice, CD8+ T cells express the variable regions of a human T cell receptor (hTCR) specific for an HLA-A*0201-restricted gp100(209-217). Immunization of hTCR-transgenic mice with gp100(209-217) peptide elicited minimal T cell responses, even in mice in which the epitope was knocked out. Conversely, a modified epitope, gp100(209-217(2M)), was significantly more immunogenic. Both biological and physical assays revealed a fast rate of dissociation of the native peptide from the HLA-A*0201 molecule and a considerably slower rate of dissociation of the modified peptide. In vivo, the time allowed for dissociation of peptide-MHC complexes on APCs prior to their exposure to T cells significantly affected the induction of immune responses. These findings indicate that the poor immunogenicity of some self/tumor antigens is due to the instability of the peptide-MHC complex rather than to the continual deletion or tolerization of self-reactive T cells.     

应用免疫球蛋白重链可变区上框架区来源的抗原九肽获得的细胞毒T细胞功能分析

目的明确存B淋巴细胞肿瘤表面的免疫球蛋白重链可变区(IgHV)的框架区(FR)上是否存在可以激发细胞毒T淋巴细胞(CTL)的抗原表位，这些来源于FR的抗原肽是否能够激发家族特异性的免疫反应，探讨按照B淋巴细胞肿瘤的IgHV基因分型进行家族性的免疫治疗的可能性，方法利用生物信息学系统预测了40例B淋巴细胞肿瘤表面的免疫球蛋白序列的抗原表位，人工合成不同基因家族的抗原几肽，利用1、2细胞结合实验检测预测的抗原肽和HLA分子的亲合力利用体外CTL刺激扩增体系。诱导特异性的CTL细胞增殖，用肽／HLA四聚体检测特异性CTL的数目，应用LDH释放实验检测CTL的细胞毒活性并验证其家族特异性。结果在B淋巴细胞肿瘤的7个IgHV基因家族中找到了12个高亲和力的抗原九肽，其中10个(83％)位于FR，以HLA-A*0201正常供的外周血单个核细胞(PBMNC)负荷该九肽作为抗原呈递细胞去刺激自身PBMNC，经过4轮刺激，CD8和肽／HLA四聚体双阳性细胞从0．38％上升到49．38％LDH释放实验证明对HLA—A*0201( )、IgHV1( )靶细胞有明显的杀伤作用，并且被IgHV1肽刺激出的CTL不能识别负荷IgHV3肽的靶细胞：结论IgHV基因FR抗原儿肽可以刺激产生具有HLA限制性的并且肽特异性的CTL，同时这样的杀伤作用具有家族特异性，以此为靶位有望对B淋巴细胞肿瘤进行家族特异性的免疫治疗。     

Vaccines targeting the cancer-testis antigen SSX-2 elicit HLA-A2 epitope-specific cytolytic T cells

The cancer-testis antigen synovial sarcoma X breakpoint-2 (SSX-2) is a potentially attractive target for tumor immunotherapy based upon its tissue-restricted expression to germline cells and its frequent expression in malignancies. The goal of this study was to evaluate genetic vaccine encoding SSX-2 to prioritize human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2-specific epitopes and determine if a DNA vaccine can elicit SSX-2-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) capable of lysing prostate cancer cells. HLA-A2-restricted epitopes were identified based on their in vitro binding affinity for HLA-A2 and by the ability of a genetic vaccine to elicit peptide-specific CTL in A2/DR1 (HLA-A2.1+/HLA-DR1+/H-2 class I-/class II-knockout) transgenic mice. We found that SSX-2 peptides p41-49 (KASEKIFYV) and p103-111 (RLQGISPKI) had high affinity for HLA-A2 and were immunogenic in vivo; however, peptide p103-111 was immunodominant with robust peptide-specific immune responses elicited in mice vaccinated with a plasmid DNA vaccine encoding SSX-2. Furthermore, p103-111-specific CTLs were able to lyse an HLA-A2+ prostate cancer cell line. The immunodominance of this epitope was found not to be due to a putative HLA-DR1 epitope (p98-112) flanking p103-111. Finally, we demonstrated that SSX-2 epitope-specific CTLs could be detected and cultured from the peripheral blood of HLA-A2+ prostate cancer patients, notably patients with advanced prostate cancer. Overall, we conclude that SSX-2 peptide p103-111 is an immunodominant HLA-A2-restricted epitope, and epitope-specific CD8 T cells can be detected in patients with prostate cancer, suggesting that tolerance to SSX-2 can be circumvented in vivo. Together, these findings suggest that SSX-2 may be a relevant target antigen for prostate cancer vaccine approaches.     

Identification of epitope mimics recognized by CTL reactive to the melanoma/melanocyte-derived peptide MART-1(27-35)

CTL reactivity to the epitope MART-1(27-35), of the melanoma (self) antigen MART-1/melan A is frequently observed in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and may be readily elicited from the peripheral blood of melanoma patients that express HLA-A*0201. Available data suggest that these observations contrast with those made for other HLA-A*0201- presented melanoma self antigens regarding the regularity of observed CTL responses. Based on preliminary findings, we hypothesized that the CTL response to MART-1 might be augmented in part by T cell encounters with peptides derived from sources other than MART-1, which show sequence similarity to MART-1(27-35). To test this idea, a protein database search for potential MART-1 epitope mimics was done using criteria developed from analyses of effector recognition of singly- substituted peptide analogues of MART-1(27-35). Synthetic peptides were made for a portion of the sequences retrieved; 12/40 peptides tested were able to sensitize target cells for lysis by one or more anti-MART- 1 effectors. The peptides recognized correspond to sequences occurring in a variety of proteins of viral, bacterial, and human (self) origin. One peptide derives from glycoprotein C of the common pathogen HSV-1; cells infected with recombinant vaccinia virus encoding native glycoprotein C were lysed by anti-MART-1 effectors. Our results overall indicate that sequences conforming to the A2.1 binding motif and possessing features essential to recognition by anti-MART-1 CTL occur frequently in proteins. These findings further suggest that T cells might encounter a variety of such sequences in vivo, and that epitope mimicry may play a role in modulating the CTL response to MART-1(27-35).     

Retroviral vector backbone immunogenicity: identification of cytotoxic T-cell epitopes in retroviral vector-packaging sequences

Retroviral vectors are the frequently applied gene delivery vehicles for clinical gene therapy, but specificity of the immunogenicity to the protein encoded by the inserted gene of interest is a problem which needs to be overcome. Here, we describe human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) clones recognizing epitopes derived from the protein encoded by the retroviral vector backbone, which were established during the course of our attempts to generate CTLs against cytomegalovirus (CMV) or human papilloma virus (HPV) in vitro. In the case of healthy CMV-seronegative donors, CTL lines specific for retrovirally transduced cells were generated in four out of eight donors by stimulating CD8 T cells with CD40-activated B (CD40-B) cells retrovirally transduced with CMV-pp65. Two CTL clones derived from one of the CTL lines were found to recognize epitopes from gag in the context of HLA-B(*)4403 and -B(*)4601, respectively. Similarly, an HLA-B(*)3501-restricted CTL clone from a cervical cancer patient recognized an epitope located in the junctional regions of the gag and pol sequences. These results show that polypeptides encoded by components of the retroviral vector backbone are in fact immunogenic, generating CTLs in vitro in human cells. Thus, potential CTL responses to retroviral products should also be considered in clinical settings.     

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) sequence variation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes is not common in patients with chronic HBV infection.

It has been suggested that immune selection pressure exerted by the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response could be responsible for viral persistence during chronic hepatitis B virus infection. To address this question, in the current study we compared the DNA and amino acid sequences of, and the CTL responses to, multiple HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitopes in the hepatitis B virus in several HLA-A2-positive patients with acute and chronic hepatitis. Our results indicate that the CTL response to these epitopes is barely detectable in the majority of patients with chronic hepatitis. Further, we show that the weak CTL response is not secondary in infection by mutant viruses lacking these epitopes, and we show that the CTL response did not select for escape mutants in any of these patients. We conclude that an ineffective hepatitis B virus specific CTL response is the primary determinant of viral persistence in chronic hepatitis and that immune selection of viral variants is not a common event in the majority of patients.     

Dendritic cell immunization induces Nonprotective WT1-specific CTL responses in mouse

In the present article we describe the immunogenicity in the mouse of 2 epitopes from the tumor-associated antigen Wilms tumor 1 antigen (WT1). The newly described K-restricted pWT330 epitope stimulates high-avidity allo-major histocompatibility complex restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) capable of killing WT1-expressing tumor cell lines. The epitope pWT126 has been previously described as a D-restricted CTL epitope. Both epitopes are weakly immunogenic as immunization with incomplete Freund adjuvant induced poor CTL responses. In contrast, when coated onto dendritic cells (DCs) both peptides readily induced CTL responses. However, these peptide-specific CTL were of low avidity and unable to recognize WT1-expressing tumor cells in vitro and to protect against tumor challenge in vivo. In contrast, vaccination with DCs coated with peptides derived from the nonself antigen ovalbumin (OVA) induced CTL that recognized OVA-expressing tumor cells and protected against tumor growth in vivo. These data show that although DC vaccination readily stimulated CTL against WT1 peptides, these CTL did not display antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. This suggests that tolerance to the 2 WT1 epitopes interferes with the generation of protective CTL immunity in mice.