Fig. 4.

Identification of novel T-cell Gag epitopes. a T-cell responses to peptide pairs in individuals KI-1020, KI-1102, and KI-1114, who did not have matching HLA alleles for previously reported epitopes. b HLA restriction. Responses by STCL stimulated with C1R or 721.221 cells expressing individual HLA molecule shared by the responders and pulsed with the peptide pair were analyzed by ICS assay. C052/053 and C054/055 peptides were analyzed by using the T cells derived from KI-1020, while C113/114 and C125/126 by using the T cells from KI-1114 and KI-1102, respectively. c Identification of 11-mer HIV-1 clade B overlapping peptides recognized by the HLA-A*26:02-, HLA-A*33:03-, or HLA-A*02:06-restricted T cells. The responses by STCL expanded with C052/053, C054/055, C113/114, or C125/126 peptide pairs to the corresponding stimulator cells pre-pulsed with 11-mer HIV-1 clade B-derived overlapping peptides across the parental 15-mer were analyzed in ICS assay. d Identification of optimal peptides. The STCL responses stimulated with peptide pairs C052/053, C113/114, or C125/126 to the corresponding stimulator cells C1R-A2602, C1R-A3303, or 721.221-A0206 pre-pulsed with individual truncated peptides were analyzed by ICS assay