To explore whether these HLA-C*12:02-restricted HIV-1 peptides were epitopes to which T cell responses were elicited during natural HIV-1 infection, we screened for CD8+ T cell responses to these 13 peptides in 20 HIV-1-infected HLA-C*12:02+ individuals using ex vivo gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assays. Here, HLA-C is linked to HIV-1 infection.