Abstract
We analyzed the epitopes and the molecular forms of Tat recognized by the antibodies raised by Tat-toxoid vaccination in both healthy and HIV-infected volunteers. Tat-toxoid - vaccinated healthy volunteer sera reacted predominantly with peptides covering amino acids 1 through 24 and 46 through 60, corresponding to the N-terminus and basic domains of Tat. In contrast, whereas all sera from vaccinated HIV-1 - positive patients reacted with the N-terminus and (with a single exception) with the basic domain, most of these sera also recognized peptides encompassing distinct domains of Tat, particularly the C-terminus (79-86). The sera of vaccinated individuals recognized both monomeric and oligomeric forms of Tat 1 through 86 or of Tat 1 through 101 and also blocked the ability of cell-released extracellular Tat to transactivate the HIV-1 LTR promoter. Synthetic Tat preincubated with sera from vaccinated individuals lost its functional activity as well. This is probably because of its inability to enter the cells as a result of immune complex formation with anti-Tat IgG. These data demonstrate that Tat-toxoid vaccination induces an efficient antibody response blocking the functional activity of Tat.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 47-55 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - May 1 2003 |
Keywords
- Epitope mapping
- HIV
- Humoral response
- Kaposi sarcoma
- Tat
- Vaccine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Virology
- Immunology