Kneitz, c., Kerkau, T., Müller, J., Coulibaly, C., Stahl-Hennig, c., Hunsmann, G., Hünig, T. and Schimpl, A., 1993. Early phenotypic and functional alterations in Iymphocytes from simian immunodeficiency virus infected macaques. Veto Immunol. Immunopathol., Phenotypic and functional changes in Iymphocytes from rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were investigated during the first 6 months after infection with SIVmac 32H. Animals preimmunized with keyhole !impet hemocyanin (KLH) were sacrificed 1. 3, 6, 12, and 24 weeks post infection. Subset composition and function oflymphocytes from blood, spleen, Iymph node and thymus were analysed. In addition to a rapid decline in CD4/CD8 ratios, a massive reduction in CD29+CD4+ cells was seen in the periphery. Although depletion of this subset was observed throughout the course of this experiment, the loss of proliferative T cell responses was most pronounced very early after infection and partially recovered after Month 3. Polyclonal cytotoxic responses were only slightly affected. In the thymus, a gradual, but moderate loss of CD4 + CD8 + immature thymocytes, and a relative increase in both CD4 + and CD8 + mature subsets was observed. Infectious virus was readily reeovered from homogenates oflymph node and spleen, but not of thymus tissue. Interestingly, however, virus was deteeted in thymocytes from a11 infected animals by cocultivation with a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) susceptible celliine.
ABBREVIATIONSAb, antibody; BSA, bovine serum albumin; BSS, balaneed salt solution; DN, double negative; DP, double positive; FCS, fetal calf serum; KLH, keyhole Iimpet hemocyanin; mAb, monoc1onal antibody, PBL, peripheral blood Iymphoeyte; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; SIV, simian immunodeficieney virus; SP, single positive.