Table 2. Epitope sequence analysis and correlation with CD127 expression.

Pt	gt	NS3-1073	%	CD127	NS3-1406	%	CD127	NS5-2594	%	CD127	NS5-2841	%	CD127
1	1b	CVNGVCWTV	0.06	lo
2	1b	CVNGVCWTV	0.01	lo
3	1b	n.a.	0.07	lo
4	1a				KLVALGVNAV	0.02	hi	ALYDVVSKL	0.03	lo
6	1a	CINGVCWSI	0.02	lo
7	1a	CINGVCWTA	0.01	hi
9	1b				KLSGLGLNAV	0.17	hi
13	1b	n.a.	0.03	mid
14	1b	CVNGVCWTV	0.02	lo
15	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.12	lo
16	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.05	lo				ALYDVVSKL	0.03	lo
17	1a	n.a.	0.02	lo	n.a.	0.02	lo
18	1b	CINGVCWTV	0.01	lo
20	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.01	mid
21	1b	CINGVCWTV	0.02	mid
22	1b	CLNGVCWTV	0.10	mid
23	1b	CVNGVCWTV	0.02	lo
24	1b										VRMILATHF	0.18	hi
25	1a	CINGVCWSV	0.03	hi
26	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.03	lo	KLVALGVNAV	0.04	mid
27	1b										VRMIMMTHF	0.16	hi
28	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.04	lo
29	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.27	lo
30	1b	CVNGVCWTV	0.10	lo
31	1b	CVSGVCWTV	0.13	hi
32	1b	CINGVCWTV	0.01	mid	KLVGLGLNAV	0.02	hi	ALYDVVSKL	0.20	hi
33	1a	CINGVCWTA	0.05	hi	KLVALGINAV	0.07	mid	ALYDVVSKL	0.06	lo
34	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.02	mid
35	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.12	lo
36	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.01	mid
37	1b	CVNGVCWTV	0.03	lo
38	1a	CINGVCWTV	0.03	lo
Con	1a	CINGVCWTV			KLVALGINAV			ALYDVVSKL			ARMILMTHF
Con	1b	CVNGVCWTV			KLSGLGLNAV			ALYDVVSTL			ARMILMTHF

Autologous virus sequences were obtained from patients with genotype 1 with detectable HCV-specific CD8+ T cell responses targeting immunodominant epitopes. Level of CD127 on T cells recognizing these epitopes is indicated next to the tetramer frequency and the respective sequence (hi: >80% CD127 expression, mid: 50–80% CD127 expression, lo: <50% CD127 expression). The consensus sequences for genotype 1a and 1b are shown below. Differing amino acids from variant autologous sequences are highlighted in bold. Abb.: Con, consensus sequence; gt, HCV genotype; n.a., not available; Pt, patient.