The HIV-1 regulatory proteins Tat and Rev are frequently targeted by cytotoxic T lymphocytes derived from HIV-1-infected individuals.

ABSTRACT: The HIV-1 regulatory proteins Rev and Tat are expressed early in the virus life cycle and thus may be important targets for the immune control of HIV-1-infection and for effective vaccines. However, the extent to which these proteins are targeted in natural HIV-1 infection as well as precise epitopes targeted by human cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) remain to be defined. In the present study, 57 HIV-1-infected individuals were screened for responses against Tat and Rev by using overlapping peptides spanning the entire Tat and Rev proteins. CD8+ T cell responses against Tat and Rev were found in up to 19 and 37% of HIV-1-infected individuals, respectively, indicating that these regulatory proteins are important targets for HIV-1-specific CTL. Despite the small size of these proteins, multiple

SUBMITTER: Addo MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC29334 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature