1
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Peng BJ, Carlson JM, Liu MKP, Gao F, Goonetilleke N, McMichael AJ, Borrow P, Gilmour J, Heath SL, Hunter E, Bansal A, Goepfert PA. Antisense-Derived HIV-1 Cryptic Epitopes Are Not Major Drivers of Viral Evolution during the Acute Phase of Infection. J Virol 2018; 92:e00711-18. [PMID: 30021907 PMCID: PMC6146806 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00711-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
While prior studies have demonstrated that CD8 T cell responses to cryptic epitopes (CE) are readily detectable during HIV-1 infection, their ability to drive escape mutations following acute infection is unknown. We predicted 66 CE in a Zambian acute infection cohort based on escape mutations occurring within or near the putatively predicted HLA-I-restricted epitopes. The CE were evaluated for CD8 T cell responses for patients with chronic and acute HIV infections. Of the 66 predicted CE, 10 were recognized in 8/32 and 4/11 patients with chronic and acute infections, respectively. The immunogenic CE were all derived from a single antisense reading frame within pol However, when these CE were tested using longitudinal study samples, CE-specific T cell responses were detected but did not consistently select for viral escape mutations. Thus, while we demonstrated that CE are immunogenic in acute infection, the immune responses to CE are not major drivers of viral escape in the initial stages of HIV infection. The latter finding may be due to either the subdominant nature of CE-specific responses, the low antigen sensitivity, or the magnitude of CE responses during acute infections.IMPORTANCE Although prior studies demonstrated that cryptic epitopes of HIV-1 induce CD8 T cell responses, evidence that targeting these epitopes drives HIV escape mutations has been substantially limited, and no studies have addressed this question following acute infection. In this comprehensive study, we utilized longitudinal viral sequencing data obtained from three separate acute infection cohorts to predict potential cryptic epitopes based on HLA-I-associated viral escape. Our data show that cryptic epitopes are immunogenic during acute infection and that many of the responses they elicit are toward translation products of HIV-1 antisense reading frames. However, despite cryptic epitope targeting, our study did not find any evidence of early CD8-mediated immune escape. Nevertheless, improving cryptic epitope-specific CD8 T cell responses may still be beneficial in both preventative and therapeutic HIV-1 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghao J Peng
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Michael K P Liu
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Medicine, Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nilu Goonetilleke
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J McMichael
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Persephone Borrow
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jill Gilmour
- IAVI Human Immunology Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sonya L Heath
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Eric Hunter
- Emory Vaccine Center at Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anju Bansal
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Paul A Goepfert
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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2
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Starck SR, Shastri N. Nowhere to hide: unconventional translation yields cryptic peptides for immune surveillance. Immunol Rev 2017; 272:8-16. [PMID: 27319338 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Effective immune surveillance by CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells of intracellular microbes and cancer depends on the antigen presentation pathway. This pathway produces an optimal peptide repertoire for presentation by major histocompatibility (MHC) class I molecules (pMHCs I) on the cell surface. We have known for years that the pMHC I repertoire is a reflection of the intracellular protein pool. However, many studies have revealed that pMHCs I present peptides not only from precursors encoded in open-reading frames of mRNA transcripts but also cryptic peptides encoded in apparently 'untranslated' regions. These sources vastly increase the availability of peptides for presentation and immune evasion. Here, we review studies on the composition of the cryptic pMHC I repertoire, the immunological significance of these pMHC I, and the novel translational mechanisms that generate cryptic peptides from unusual sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley R Starck
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,NGM Biopharmaceuticals Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nilabh Shastri
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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3
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Spencer CT, Bezbradica JS, Ramos MG, Arico CD, Conant SB, Gilchuk P, Gray JJ, Zheng M, Niu X, Hildebrand W, Link AJ, Joyce S. Viral infection causes a shift in the self peptide repertoire presented by human MHC class I molecules. Proteomics Clin Appl 2016; 9:1035-52. [PMID: 26768311 DOI: 10.1002/prca.201500106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE MHC class I presentation of peptides allows T cells to survey the cytoplasmic protein milieu of host cells. During infection, presentation of self peptides is, in part, replaced by presentation of microbial peptides. However, little is known about the self peptides presented during infection, despite the fact that microbial infections alter host cell gene expression patterns and protein metabolism. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The self peptide repertoire presented by HLA-A*01;01, HLA-A*02;01, HLA-B*07;02, HLA-B*35;01, and HLA-B*45;01 (where HLA is human leukocyte antigen) was determined by tandem MS before and after vaccinia virus infection. RESULTS We observed a profound alteration in the self peptide repertoire with hundreds of self peptides uniquely presented after infection for which we have coined the term "self peptidome shift." The fraction of novel self peptides presented following infection varied for different HLA class I molecules. A large part (approximately 40%) of the self peptidome shift arose from peptides derived from type I interferon-inducible genes, consistent with cellular responses to viral infection. Interestingly, approximately 12% of self peptides presented after infection showed allelic variation when searched against approximately 300 human genomes. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Self peptidome shift in a clinical transplant setting could result in alloreactivity by presenting new self peptides in the context of infection-induced inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles T Spencer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Jelena S Bezbradica
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mireya G Ramos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Chenoa D Arico
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie B Conant
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Pavlo Gilchuk
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Nashville, TN, USA.,Veterans Administration Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jennifer J Gray
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mu Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Xinnan Niu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - William Hildebrand
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Centre, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Andrew J Link
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sebastian Joyce
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Nashville, TN, USA.,Veterans Administration Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, USA
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4
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Prasad S, Starck SR, Shastri N. Presentation of Cryptic Peptides by MHC Class I Is Enhanced by Inflammatory Stimuli. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 197:2981-2991. [PMID: 27647836 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1502045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cytolytic T cells eliminate infected or cancer cells by recognizing peptides presented by MHC class I molecules on the cell surface. The antigenic peptides are derived primarily from newly synthesized proteins including those produced by cryptic translation mechanisms. Previous studies have shown that cryptic translation can be initiated by distinct mechanisms at non-AUG codons in addition to conventional translation initiated at the canonical AUG start codon. In this study, we show that presentation of endogenously translated cryptic peptides is enhanced by TLR signaling pathways involved in pathogen recognition as well as by infection with different viruses. This enhancement of cryptic peptides was caused by proinflammatory cytokines, secreted in response to microbial infection. Furthermore, blocking these cytokines abrogated the enhancement of cryptic peptide presentation in response to infection. Thus, presentation of cryptic peptides is selectively enhanced during inflammation and infection, which could allow the immune system to detect intracellular pathogens that might otherwise escape detection because of inhibition of conventional host translation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharanya Prasad
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Shelley R Starck
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Nilabh Shastri
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
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5
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Bansal A, Mann T, Sterrett S, Peng BJ, Bet A, Carlson JM, Goepfert PA. Enhanced Recognition of HIV-1 Cryptic Epitopes Restricted by HLA Class I Alleles Associated With a Favorable Clinical Outcome. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2015; 70:1-8. [PMID: 26322665 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryptic epitopes (CEs) are peptides derived from the translation of 1 or more of the 5 alternative reading frames (ARFs; 2 sense and 3 antisense) of genes. Here, we compared response rates to HIV-1-specific CE predicted to be restricted by HLA-I alleles associated with protection against disease progression to those without any such association. METHODS Peptides (9mer to 11mer) were designed based on HLA-I-binding algorithms for B*27, B*57, or B*5801 (protective alleles) and HLA-B*5301 or B*5501 (nonprotective allele) in all 5 ARFs of the 9 HIV-1 encoded proteins. Peptides with >50% probability of being an epitope (n = 231) were tested for T-cell responses in an IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples from HIV-1 seronegative donors (n = 42) and HIV-1 seropositive patients with chronic clade B infections (n = 129) were used. RESULTS Overall, 16%, 2%, and 2% of chronic HIV infected patients had CE responses by IFN-γ ELISpot in the protective, nonprotective, and seronegative groups, respectively (P = 0.009, Fischer exact test). Twenty novel CE-specific responses were mapped (median magnitude of 95 spot forming cells/10 peripheral blood mononuclear cells), and most were both antisense derived (90%) and represented ARFs of accessory proteins (55%). CE-specific CD8 T cells were multifunctional and proliferated when assessed by intracellular cytokine staining. CONCLUSIONS CE responses were preferentially restricted by the protective HLA-I alleles in HIV-1 infection, suggesting that they may contribute to viral control in this group of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anju Bansal
- *Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; and †Microsoft Research, Redmond, WA
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6
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Jafarpour S, Ayat H, Ahadi AM. Design and Antigenic Epitopes Prediction of a New Trial Recombinant Multiepitopic Rotaviral Vaccine: In Silico Analyses. Viral Immunol 2015; 28:325-30. [PMID: 25965449 PMCID: PMC4507124 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2014.0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rotavirus is the major etiologic factor of severe diarrheal disease. Natural infection provides protection against subsequent rotavirus infection and diarrhea. This research presents a new vaccine designed based on computational models. In this study, three types of epitopes are considered-linear, conformational, and combinational-in a proposed model protein. Several studies on rotavirus vaccines have shown that VP6 and VP4 proteins are good candidates for vaccine production. In the present study, a fusion protein was designed as a new generation of rotavirus vaccines by bioinformatics analyses. This model-based study using ABCpred, BCPREDS, Bcepred, and Ellipro web servers showed that the peptide presented in this article has the necessary properties to act as a vaccine. Prediction of linear B-cell epitopes of peptides is helpful to investigate whether these peptides are able to activate humoral immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima Jafarpour
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Shahrekord University , Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Hoda Ayat
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Shahrekord University , Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Ali Mohammad Ahadi
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Shahrekord University , Shahrekord, Iran
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7
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Bet A, Maze EA, Bansal A, Sterrett S, Gross A, Graff-Dubois S, Samri A, Guihot A, Katlama C, Theodorou I, Mesnard JM, Moris A, Goepfert PA, Cardinaud S. The HIV-1 antisense protein (ASP) induces CD8 T cell responses during chronic infection. Retrovirology 2015; 12:15. [PMID: 25809376 PMCID: PMC4335690 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-015-0135-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background CD8+ T cells recognize HIV-1 epitopes translated from a gene’s primary reading frame (F1) and any one of its five alternative reading frames (ARFs) in the forward (F2, F3) or reverse (R1-3) directions. The 3’ end of HIV-1’s proviral coding strand contains a conserved sequence that is directly overlapping but antiparallel to the env gene (ARF R2) and encodes for a putative antisense HIV-1 protein called ASP. ASP expression has been demonstrated in vitro using HIV-transfected cell lines or infected cells. Although antibodies to ASP were previously detected in patient sera, T cell recognition of ASP-derived epitopes has not been evaluated. We therefore investigated the ex vivo and in vitro induction of ASP-specific T cell responses as a measure of immune recognition and protein expression during HIV-1 infection. Results A panel of overlapping peptides was initially designed from the full-length ASP sequence to perform a global assessment of T cell responses. Recognition of ASP-derived antigens was evaluated in an IFN-γELISpot assay using PBMCs from HIV-1 seropositive and seronegative individuals. Eight of 25 patients had positive responses to ASP antigens and none of the seronegative donors responded. As a complimentary approach, a second set of antigens was designed using HLA-I binding motifs and affinities. Two ASP-derived peptides with high predicted binding affinities for HLA-A*02 (ASP-YL9) and HLA-B*07 (ASP-TL10) were tested using PBMCs from HIV-1 seropositive and seronegative individuals who expressed the matching HLA-I-restricting allele. We found that HLA-I-restricted ASP peptides were only recognized by CD8+ T cells from patients with the relevant HLA-I and did not induce responses in any of the seronegative donors or patients who do not express the restrictive HLA alleles. Further, ASP-YL9-specific CD8+ T cells had functional profiles that were similar to a previously described HLA-A*02-restricted epitope (Gag-SL9). Specific recognition of ASP-YL9 by CD8+ T cells was also demonstrated by tetramer staining using cells from an HLA-A*02 HIV-infected patient. Conclusion Our results provide the first description of CD8+ T cell-mediated immune responses to ASP in HIV-1-infected patients, demonstrating that ASP is expressed during infection. Our identification of epitopes within ASP has implications for designing HIV vaccines. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12977-015-0135-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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8
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Walsh AD, Bimber BN, Das A, Piaskowski SM, Rakasz EG, Bean AT, Mudd PA, Ericsen AJ, Wilson NA, Hughes AL, O'Connor DH, Maness NJ. Acute phase CD8+ T lymphocytes against alternate reading frame epitopes select for rapid viral escape during SIV infection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61383. [PMID: 23671565 PMCID: PMC3645990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T Lymphocytes (CTL) can control AIDS virus replication. However, natural selection favoring viral variants that escape CTL recognition is a common feature of both simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of macaques and HIV infection of humans. Emerging data indicate that CTL directed against alternate reading frame (ARF)-derived epitopes (a.k.a. cryptic epitopes) are important components of the total virus-specific response in SIV and HIV infection but the contributions of these responses during the critical first several weeks of infection have not been determined. We used a focused deep sequencing approach to examine acute phase viral evolution in response to CTL targeting two polypeptides encoded by ARFs of SIVmac239 in SIV-infected rhesus macaques. We report high magnitude CTL responses as early as three weeks post-infection against epitopes within both ARFs, which both overlap the 5′ end of the env gene. Further, mutations accumulated in the epitopes by three to four weeks post infection consistent with viral escape. Interestingly, these mutations largely maintained the primary amino acid sequence of the overlapping Envelope protein. Our data show that high frequency CTL target cryptic epitopes and exert selective pressure on SIV during the acute phase, underscoring the importance of these unique immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D. Walsh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Benjamin N. Bimber
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Arpita Das
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Shari M. Piaskowski
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Eva G. Rakasz
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Alexander T. Bean
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Philip A. Mudd
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Adam J. Ericsen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Nancy A. Wilson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Austin L. Hughes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - David H. O'Connor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Maness
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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Champiat S, Raposo RAS, Maness NJ, Lehman JL, Purtell SE, Hasenkrug AM, Miller JC, Dean H, Koff WC, Hong MA, Martin JN, Deeks SG, Spotts GE, Pilcher CD, Hecht FM, Kallas EG, Garrison KE, Nixon DF. Influence of HAART on alternative reading frame immune responses over the course of HIV-1 infection. PLoS One 2012; 7:e39311. [PMID: 22768072 PMCID: PMC3387156 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2011] [Accepted: 05/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Translational errors can result in bypassing of the main viral protein reading frames and the production of alternate reading frame (ARF) or cryptic peptides. Within HIV, there are many such ARFs in both sense and the antisense directions of transcription. These ARFs have the potential to generate immunogenic peptides called cryptic epitopes (CE). Both antiretroviral drug therapy and the immune system exert a mutational pressure on HIV-1. Immune pressure exerted by ARF CD8+ T cells on the virus has already been observed in vitro. HAART has also been described to select HIV-1 variants for drug escape mutations. Since the mutational pressure exerted on one location of the HIV-1 genome can potentially affect the 3 reading frames, we hypothesized that ARF responses would be affected by this drug pressure in vivo. Methodology/Principal findings In this study we identified new ARFs derived from sense and antisense transcription of HIV-1. Many of these ARFs are detectable in circulating viral proteins. They are predominantly found in the HIV-1 env nucleotide region. We measured T cell responses to 199 HIV-1 CE encoded within 13 sense and 34 antisense HIV-1 ARFs. We were able to observe that these ARF responses are more frequent and of greater magnitude in chronically infected individuals compared to acutely infected patients, and in patients on HAART, the breadth of ARF responses increased. Conclusions/Significance These results have implications for vaccine design and unveil the existence of potential new epitopes that could be included as vaccine targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephane Champiat
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Rui André Saraiva Raposo
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Maness
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - John L. Lehman
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga, California, United States of America
| | - Sean E. Purtell
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga, California, United States of America
| | - Aaron M. Hasenkrug
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jacob C. Miller
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Hansi Dean
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Wayne C. Koff
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Marisa Ailin Hong
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, and Institute Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jeffrey N. Martin
- Epidemiology and Prevention Interventions Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, and The Positive Health Program, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Steven G. Deeks
- Positive Health Program, Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Gerald E. Spotts
- Positive Health Program, Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Christopher D. Pilcher
- Positive Health Program, Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Fredrick M. Hecht
- Positive Health Program, Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Esper G. Kallas
- University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Keith E. Garrison
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga, California, United States of America
| | - Douglas F. Nixon
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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10
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Cardinaud S, Consiglieri G, Bouziat R, Urrutia A, Graff-Dubois S, Fourati S, Malet I, Guergnon J, Guihot A, Katlama C, Autran B, van Endert P, Lemonnier FA, Appay V, Schwartz O, Kloetzel PM, Moris A. CTL escape mediated by proteasomal destruction of an HIV-1 cryptic epitope. PLoS Pathog 2011; 7:e1002049. [PMID: 21589903 PMCID: PMC3093368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2010] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTLs) play a critical role in controlling viral infections. HIV-infected individuals develop CTL responses against epitopes derived from viral proteins, but also against cryptic epitopes encoded by viral alternative reading frames (ARF). We studied here the mechanisms of HIV-1 escape from CTLs targeting one such cryptic epitope, Q9VF, encoded by an HIVgag ARF and presented by HLA-B*07. Using PBMCs of HIV-infected patients, we first cloned and sequenced proviral DNA encoding for Q9VF. We identified several polymorphisms with a minority of proviruses encoding at position 5 an aspartic acid (Q9VF/5D) and a majority encoding an asparagine (Q9VF/5N). We compared the prevalence of each variant in PBMCs of HLA-B*07+ and HLA-B*07- patients. Proviruses encoding Q9VF/5D were significantly less represented in HLA-B*07+ than in HLA-B*07- patients, suggesting that Q9FV/5D encoding viruses might be under selective pressure in HLA-B*07+ individuals. We thus analyzed ex vivo CTL responses directed against Q9VF/5D and Q9VF/5N. Around 16% of HLA-B*07+ patients exhibited CTL responses targeting Q9VF epitopes. The frequency and the magnitude of CTL responses induced with Q9VF/5D or Q9VF/5N peptides were almost equal indicating a possible cross-reactivity of the same CTLs on the two peptides. We then dissected the cellular mechanisms involved in the presentation of Q9VF variants. As expected, cells infected with HIV strains encoding for Q9VF/5D were recognized by Q9VF/5D-specific CTLs. In contrast, Q9VF/5N-encoding strains were neither recognized by Q9VF/5N- nor by Q9VF/5D-specific CTLs. Using in vitro proteasomal digestions and MS/MS analysis, we demonstrate that the 5N variation introduces a strong proteasomal cleavage site within the epitope, leading to a dramatic reduction of Q9VF epitope production. Our results strongly suggest that HIV-1 escapes CTL surveillance by introducing mutations leading to HIV ARF-epitope destruction by proteasomes.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Antigen Presentation/genetics
- Antigen Presentation/immunology
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/physiology
- Female
- HIV Antigens/metabolism
- HIV Infections/immunology
- HIV Infections/virology
- HIV-1/genetics
- HIV-1/immunology
- HIV-1/metabolism
- HLA-B7 Antigen/metabolism
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Middle Aged
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Mutation
- Polymorphism, Genetic
- Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/immunology
- Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/physiology
- RNA, Viral/chemistry
- RNA, Viral/genetics
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/virology
- Viral Load
- Young Adult
- gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/genetics
- gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology
- gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Cardinaud
- INSERM, UMR-S945, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris,
France
- * E-mail: (SC); (AM)
| | - Gesa Consiglieri
- Institut für Biochemie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin,
Berlin, Germany
| | - Romain Bouziat
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Cellulaire Antivirale, Paris,
France
| | - Alejandra Urrutia
- INSERM, UMR-S945, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris,
France
| | | | - Slim Fourati
- INSERM, UMR-S943, UPMC, Hôpital
Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Malet
- INSERM, UMR-S943, UPMC, Hôpital
Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Julien Guergnon
- INSERM, UMR-S945, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris,
France
| | - Amélie Guihot
- INSERM, UMR-S945, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris,
France
| | | | - Brigitte Autran
- INSERM, UMR-S945, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris,
France
| | - Peter van Endert
- INSERM, U1013, Université Paris Descartes, Faculté de
médecine René Descartes, Paris, France
| | | | - Victor Appay
- INSERM, UMR-S945, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris,
France
| | | | - Peter M. Kloetzel
- Institut für Biochemie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin,
Berlin, Germany
| | - Arnaud Moris
- INSERM, UMR-S945, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris,
France
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Virus et Immunité, Paris,
France
- * E-mail: (SC); (AM)
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11
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Starck SR, Shastri N. Non-conventional sources of peptides presented by MHC class I. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011; 68:1471-9. [PMID: 21390547 PMCID: PMC3071930 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0655-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2011] [Revised: 02/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Effectiveness of immune surveillance of intracellular viruses and bacteria depends upon a functioning antigen presentation pathway that allows infected cells to reveal the presence of an intracellular pathogen. The antigen presentation pathway uses virtually all endogenous polypeptides as a source to produce antigenic peptides that are eventually chaperoned to the cell surface by MHC class I molecules. Intriguingly, MHC I molecules present peptides encoded not only in the primary open reading frames but also those encoded in alternate reading frames. Here, we review recent studies on the generation of cryptic pMHC I. We focus on the immunological significance of cryptic pMHC I, and the novel translational mechanisms that allow production of these antigenic peptides from unconventional sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley R. Starck
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, LSA 421, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200 USA
| | - Nilabh Shastri
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, LSA 421, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200 USA
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12
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CD8+ T cell recognition of cryptic epitopes is a ubiquitous feature of AIDS virus infection. J Virol 2010; 84:11569-74. [PMID: 20739530 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01419-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines designed to elicit AIDS virus-specific CD8+ T cells should engender broad responses. Emerging data indicate that alternate reading frames (ARFs) of both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) encode CD8+ T cell epitopes, termed cryptic epitopes. Here, we show that SIV-specific CD8+ T cells from SIV-infected rhesus macaques target 14 epitopes in eight ARFs during SIV infection. Animals recognized up to five epitopes, totaling nearly one-quarter of the anti-SIV responses. The epitopes were targeted by high-frequency responses as early as 2 weeks postinfection and in the chronic phase. Hence, previously overlooked ARF-encoded epitopes could be important components of AIDS vaccines.
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13
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Bansal A, Carlson J, Yan J, Akinsiku OT, Schaefer M, Sabbaj S, Bet A, Levy DN, Heath S, Tang J, Kaslow RA, Walker BD, Ndung'u T, Goulder PJ, Heckerman D, Hunter E, Goepfert PA. CD8 T cell response and evolutionary pressure to HIV-1 cryptic epitopes derived from antisense transcription. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 207:51-9. [PMID: 20065064 PMCID: PMC2812545 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20092060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Retroviruses pack multiple genes into relatively small genomes by encoding several genes in the same genomic region with overlapping reading frames. Both sense and antisense HIV-1 transcripts contain open reading frames for known functional proteins as well as numerous alternative reading frames (ARFs). At least some ARFs have the potential to encode proteins of unknown function, and their antigenic properties can be considered as cryptic epitopes (CEs). To examine the extent of active immune response to virally encoded CEs, we analyzed human leukocyte antigen class I–associated polymorphisms in HIV-1 gag, pol, and nef genes from a large cohort of South Africans with chronic infection. In all, 391 CEs and 168 conventional epitopes were predicted, with the majority (307; 79%) of CEs derived from antisense transcripts. In further evaluation of CD8 T cell responses to a subset of the predicted CEs in patients with primary or chronic infection, both sense- and antisense-encoded CEs were immunogenic at both stages of infection. In addition, CEs often mutated during the first year of infection, which was consistent with immune selection for escape variants. These findings indicate that the HIV-1 genome might encode and deploy a large potential repertoire of unconventional epitopes to enhance vaccine-induced antiviral immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anju Bansal
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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