FIG. 1.
T-cell responses directed at HIV-1 Nef protein from B and BF viral variants and detected using NefB- or NefBF-derived peptides in a matrix-based IFN-γ ELISPOT assay. (A) Total magnitude of anti-Nef T-cell responses, measured in SFU/106 PBMC, in B- and BF-infected patients directed at either NefB and NefBF peptides. Symbols show the values for the responses from individual patients. The horizontal black bars indicate the median values. Intra- and interclade differences were analyzed using Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests, respectively. P values are shown above the brackets. (B) Positive correlations were observed in B-infected patients (r = 0.633) and BF-infected patients (r = 0.679) for antigens derived from clade B (NefB) and BF intersubtype variants (NefBF). Correlations are shown together with 95% confidence intervals. (C) Breadth of total anti-Nef responses detected in each patient and expressed as the number of epitopes recognized. Data were analyzed as described above for panel A. Symbols: ▪, NefB-infected patients; ▴, NefBF-infected patients.