Open AccessCross-reactive microbial peptides can modulate HIV-specific CD8+ T cell responses
Author(s) -
Christopher W. Pohlmeyer,
Sarah B. Laskey,
Sarah E. Beck,
Daniel Xu,
Adam A. Capoferri,
Caroline C. Garliss,
Megan E. May,
Alison Livingston,
Walt Lichmira,
Richard D. Moore,
Mary S. Leffell,
Nicholas J. Butler,
Jennifer E. Thorne,
John A. Flynn,
Robert F. Siliciano,
Joel N. Blankson
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0192098
Subject(s) - cytotoxic t cell , biology , cd8 , immune system , epitope , acquired immune system , t cell , heterologous , immunity , t cell receptor , immunology , antigen , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , cellular immunity , in vitro , biochemistry , gene
Heterologous immunity is an important aspect of the adaptive immune response. We hypothesized that this process could modulate the HIV-1-specific CD8 + T cell response, which has been shown to play an important role in HIV-1 immunity and control. We found that stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HIV-1-positive subjects with microbial peptides that were cross-reactive with immunodominant HIV-1 epitopes resulted in dramatic expansion of HIV-1-specific CD8 + T cells. Interestingly, the TCR repertoire of HIV-1-specific CD8 + T cells generated by ex vivo stimulation of PBMCs using HIV-1 peptide was different from that of cells stimulated with cross-reactive microbial peptides in some HIV-1-positive subjects. Despite these differences, CD8 + T cells stimulated with either HIV-1 or cross-reactive peptides effectively suppressed HIV-1 replication in autologous CD4 + T cells. These data suggest that exposure to cross-reactive microbial antigens can modulate HIV-1-specific immunity.