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Juan P Giraldo-Vela,
Richard Rudersdorf,
Chungwon Chung, Ying Qi,
Lyle T Wallace,
Benjamin Bimber,
Gretta J Borchardt,
Debra L Fisk,
Chrystal E Glidden,
John T Loffredo,
Shari M Piaskowski,
Jessica R Furlott,
Juan P Morales-Martinez,
Nancy A Wilson,
William M Rehrauer,
Jeffrey D Lifson,
Mary Carrington,
David I Watkins
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ABSTRACT: The role of CD4(+) T cells in the control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication is not well understood. Even though strong HIV- and SIV-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses have been detected in individuals that control viral replication, major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules have not been definitively linked with slow disease progression. In a cohort of 196 SIVmac239-infected Indian rhesus macaques, a group of macaques controlled viral replication to less than 1,000 viral RNA copies/ml. These elite controllers (ECs) mounted a broad SIV-specific CD4(+) T-cell response. Here, we describe five macaque MHC-II alleles (Mamu-DRB*w606, -DRB*w2104, -DRB1*0306, -DRB1*1003, and -DPB1*06) that restricted six SIV-specific CD4(+) T-cell epitopes in ECs and report the first association between specific MHC-II alleles and elite control. Interestingly, the macaque MHC-II alleles, Mamu-DRB1*1003 and -DRB1*0306, were enriched in this EC group (P values of 0.02 and 0.05, respectively). Additionally, Mamu-B*17-positive SIV-infected rhesus macaques that also expressed these two MHC-II alleles had significantly lower viral loads than Mamu-B*17-positive animals that did not express Mamu-DRB1*1003 and -DRB1*0306 (P value of <0.0001). The study of MHC-II alleles in macaques that control viral replication could improve our understanding of the role of CD4(+) T cells in suppressing HIV/SIV replication and further our understanding of HIV vaccine design.
Journal of Virology 01/2008; 82(2):859-70. · 5.40 Impact Factor
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John T Loffredo,
Jess Maxwell, Ying Qi,
Chrystal E Glidden,
Gretta J Borchardt,
Taeko Soma,
Alex T Bean,
Dominic R Beal,
Nancy A Wilson,
William M Rehrauer,
Jeffrey D Lifson,
Mary Carrington,
David I Watkins
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ABSTRACT: Certain major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I alleles are associated with the control of human immunodeficiency virus and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication. We have designed sequence-specific primers for detection of the rhesus macaque MHC class I allele Mamu-B*08 by PCR and screened a cohort of SIV-infected macaques for this allele. Analysis of 196 SIV(mac)239-infected Indian rhesus macaques revealed that Mamu-B*08 was significantly overrepresented in elite controllers; 38% of elite controllers were Mamu-B*08 positive compared to 3% of progressors (P = 0.00001). Mamu-B*08 was also associated with a 7.34-fold decrease in chronic phase viremia (P = 0.002). Mamu-B*08-positive macaques may, therefore, provide a good model to understand the correlates of MHC class I allele-associated immune protection and viral containment in human elite controllers.
Journal of Virology 09/2007; 81(16):8827-32. · 5.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Polymorphisms in several host genes in HIV-infected individuals facilitate slow progression to AIDS. We have identified several SIV-infected Indian rhesus macaques that naturally control viral replication. We investigated whether spontaneous control of SIV in any of these animals could be explained by mutations in host genes. Such variables could confound studies of associations between MHC class I alleles and control of viral replication. We searched for polymorphisms in CCR5, CXCR6, GPR15, RANTES, IL-10, APOBEC3G, TNF-alpha, and TSG101 and looked for associations with decreased viral replication. We did not detect any correlations between plasma viral concentration and polymorphisms in host genes examined in this study. In addition, we did not find the polymorphisms present in humans in any of our macaques.
Immunogenetics 01/2007; 58(12):1003-9. · 2.93 Impact Factor