Hiv protein epitopes immunologically homologous to hla

Abstract

The invention concerns epitopes of the HIV virus gp160 protein, that are immunologically homologous to epitopes of the protein family of the human major histocompatibility complex HLA, to be used for diagnosing and immunization.

1 . Epitopes of the HIV gp160 protein which are immunologically homologous to at least one epitope of the HLA protein family.  
     
     
         2 . Epitopes according to  claim 1 , wherein said HLA protein family comprises the HLA class Iproteins.  
     
     
         3 . Epitopes according to  claim 2 , wherein said HLA class Iproteins comprise the HLA heavy chains.  
     
     
         4 . Epitopes according to  claim 3 , wherein said HLA heavy chains comprise the α-1 domain.  
     
     
         5 . Epitopes according to  claim 4  comprised in the region having the following amino acid sequence: 
 SELYKYKVVKIEPLGVAPTKAKRRVV.  
 
     
     
         6 . Epitopes according to  claim 5  immunologically homologous to at least one epitope of the following α-1 domain region, allele Cw4, or an allele thereof: 
 TQKYKRQAQADRVNLRKLRGYY.  
 
     
     
         7 . Epitopes according to claims  5  or  6  wherein said region comprises two epitopes.  
     
     
         8 . Epitopes according to  claim 7  wherein said two epitopes are comprised respectively in the regions having amino acid sequences as follows: 
 SELYKYKVVK and PTKAKRRVV.  
 
     
     
         9 . Epitopes according to  claim 8  wherein said two epitopes are immunologically homologous respectively to the following α-1 domain regions: 
 TQKYKRQAQ and NLRKLRGYY.  
 
     
     
         10 . Epitopes of HLA which are immunologically homologous to at least one epitope of the HIV gp160 protein according to any of previous claims.  
     
     
         11 . Epitopes of HLA according to  claim 10  comprised in the HLA Class I proteins.  
     
     
         12 . Epitopes of HLA according to  claim 11  comprised in the HLA heavy chains.  
     
     
         13 . Epitopes of HLA according to  claim 12  comprised in the α-1 domain of said heavy chains.  
     
     
         14 . Epitopes of HLA according to  claim 13  comprised in the following α-1 domain region, allele Cw4, or in an allele thereof: 
 TQKYKRQAQADRVNLRKLRGYY.  
 
     
     
         15 . Epitopes according to any of previous claims characterised in being recognized by neutralizing antibodies.  
     
     
         16 . Epitopes according to any of previous claims characterized in having a superantigen ability.  
     
     
         17 . Epitopes according to any of previous claims characterized in being of natural, recombinant or synthetic origin.  
     
     
         18 . Use of epitopes according to any of previous claims for the preparation of compositions of immunodiagnostic and for immunization purposes.  
     
     
         19 . An immunodiagnostic kit comprising as specifc ligand macromolecular structures comprising at least one of the epitopes according to  claim 17 , to detect antibodies from a sample of serum from either AIDS affected or HIV immunized subjects, said antibodies being able to react also with at least one epitope of HLA protein family.  
     
     
         20 . An immunodiagnostic kit according to  claim 19  comprising any of the known binding-detection systems, preferably ELISA, RIA or Western Blot systems.  
     
     
         21 . An immunodiagnostic kit according to  claim 19  or  20  wherein said epitopes comprise at least one epitope of the gp160 protein.  
     
     
         22 . An immunodiagnostic kit according to  claim 21  wherein said epitopes comprise the region having the following sequence: IEPLGVAPT.  
     
     
         23 . An antigenic composition for HIV vaccines comprising a sterile carrier and the gp160 protein or parts thereof, either lacking at least one of its epitopes which are immunologically homologous to HLA, according to the invention, or being modified to make at least one of said epitopes not immunologically homologous to HLA.  
     
     
         24 . An antigenic composition for HIV vaccines according to  claim 23  wherein said gp160 or parts thereof does comprise the region having the following sequence: IEPLGVAPT.  
     
     
         25 . Polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies able to recognize the gp160 region: IEPLGVAPT.