Abstract
The propensity of HIV-1 for genetic variation, a consequence of error-prone reverse transcription combined with high rates of replication, is thought to contribute to the establishment of persistent infection in the host despite the presence of a vigorous antiviral immune response. Protective immunity to viruses is mediated primarily by cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which recognize viral peptides of 8–11 amino acids bound to major histocompatibility complex class I molecules on the surface of infected cells. In this review we examine the mechanisms by which mutation within peptide antigen-encoding regions of the viral genome enables HIV-1 to evade recognition by virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The discussion is relevant to other genetically unstable viruses and more generally to intracellular pathogens of variable antigenicity.
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Received: 25 February 1998 / Accepted: 5 May 1998
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Price, D., Meier, UC., Klenerman, P. et al. The influence of antigenic variation on cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in HIV-1 infection. J Mol Med 76, 699–708 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001090050270
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001090050270