Clearing HIV-1-infected cells in vivo will be a key component of any approach to provide functional or true cure of HIV-1 infection. The best-defined arm of immunity for killing infected cells is CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which recognize short viral sequences presented on Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I molecules on infected cell surfaces. However, HIV-1 displays massive mutation and plasticity of its sequences, which limits the efficacy of CTLs in most circumstances. This project is a detailed dissection of the virologic and immunologic factors underlying the ability of HIV-1 to evade CTLs. It explores the constraints imposed on the virus and the immune receptors imposing those constraints. The constraints associated with protective versus non-protective CTL responses are compared, as well as the constraints associated with natural infection versus vaccine-generated anti-HIV-1 CTLs. Specifically, we propose: To define CTL epitope escape spaces for protective and non-protective responses to HIV-1, and To compare TCR properties and HIV-1 escape spaces in natural infection to those elicited by a clonal vaccine.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01DE025166-01A1S1
Application #
9045235
Study Section
HIV/AIDS Vaccines Study Section (VACC)
Program Officer
Rodriguez-Chavez, Isaac R
Project Start
2014-09-13
Project End
2019-08-31
Budget Start
2015-04-01
Budget End
2015-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$22,718
Indirect Cost
$7,966
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
092530369
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095