T Cell Epitope "Hotspots" on the HIV Type 1 gp120 Envelope Protein Overlap with Tryptic Fragments Displayed by Mass Spectrometry

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Abstract
Our previous work has shown that immunodominant T-helper cell epitopes cluster within distinct fragments on a single face of the HIV envelope gp120 protein. We show in this report that the general positions of immunodominant epitopes are shared by T cells derived from BALB/c, C57BL/6, and CB6F1 mice, yet the precise peptides recognized by the responding T cell populations may differ. In addition, we find that gp120 peptides displayed by tryptic digestion and mass spectrometry of a purified HIV envelope protein share location with peptides defined as immunodominant T cell targets. Results are consistent with the suggestion that gp120 peptide location influences antigen processing, which, in turn, influences the specificity of immunodominant T cells.