2022 journal article

Alternative splicing and genetic variation of mhc-e: implications for rhesus cytomegalovirus-based vaccines

COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY, 5(1).

By: H. Brochu n, R. Wang*, T. Tollison n, C. Pyo*, A. Thomas*, E. Tseng*, L. Law*, L. Picker* ...

co-author countries: United States of America 🇺🇸
MeSH headings : Animals; Humans; Alternative Splicing; Cytomegalovirus; Cytomegalovirus Vaccines; Genetic Variation; Macaca mulatta; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics
Source: Web Of Science
Added: January 17, 2023

Rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV)-based vaccination against Simian Immunodeficiency virus (SIV) elicits MHC-E-restricted CD8+ T cells that stringently control SIV infection in ~55% of vaccinated rhesus macaques (RM). However, it is unclear how accurately the RM model reflects HLA-E immunobiology in humans. Using long-read sequencing, we identified 16 Mamu-E isoforms and all Mamu-E splicing junctions were detected among HLA-E isoforms in humans. We also obtained the complete Mamu-E genomic sequences covering the full coding regions of 59 RM from a RhCMV/SIV vaccine study. The Mamu-E gene was duplicated in 32 (54%) of 59 RM. Among four groups of Mamu-E alleles: three ~5% divergent full-length allele groups (G1, G2, G2_LTR) and a fourth monomorphic group (G3) with a deletion encompassing the canonical Mamu-E exon 6, the presence of G2_LTR alleles was significantly (p = 0.02) associated with the lack of RhCMV/SIV vaccine protection. These genomic resources will facilitate additional MHC-E targeted translational research.