AIDS virus-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes against an immunodominant cryptic epitope select for viral escape

Cryptic major histocompatibility complex class I epitopes have been detected in several pathogens, but their importance in the immune response to AIDS viruses remains unknown. Here, we show that Mamu-B*17(+) simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) mac239-infected rhesus macaques that spontaneously controlled viral replication consistently made strong CD8(+) T lymphocyte (CD8-TL) responses against a cryptic epitope, RHLAFKCLW (cRW9). Importantly, cRW9-specific CD8-TL selected for viral variation in vivo and effectively suppressed SIV replication in vitro, suggesting that they might play a key role in the SIV-specific response. The discovery of an immunodominant CD8-TL response in elite controller macaques against a cryptic epitope suggests that the AIDS virus-specific cellular immune response is likely far more complex than is generally assumed.