Cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for the synthetic VEINCTR peptide, a sequence found within the Fas molecule and env gp120 in the blood of HIV-1 seropositive individuals.

We have previously identified a VEINCTR peptide common to both the Fasmolecule and HIV-1 gp120. Here we report the characterization in PBMCs from HIV-1-infected individuals of a CD8+ class I restricted CTL activity directed towards this peptide. The peptide is highly conserved in various HIV-1 strains, being located at amino acid 287-293 (VEINCTR), within an epitope known as cell T epitope on the env protein of human immunodeficiency virus type-1. Cell cultures were obtained by polyclonal activation using autologous blast cells and CTL lines generated from frozen peripheral blood lymphocytes of HIV-1 seropositive donors by stimulation with the peptide and recombinant interleukin-2. The env-specific CTL turned out to kill autologous target cells infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus containing the env gene of HIV-1 or pulsed with peptide. Specificity was determined using shorter peptides. The CTL activity was directed against autologous target cells presenting the heptapeptide which is site located in the Fas molecule, known to be functionally involved in T-cell apoptosis.