Isolation of simian immunodeficiency virus from african green monkeys and seroepidemiologic survey of the virus in various non‐human primates

Abstract

Sixteen isolates of simian retrovirus closely related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were obtained from healthy African green monkeys (AGM) (Cercopithecus aethiops). The first isolate was obtained from a monkey seropositive for HIV, and the others were isolated from monkeys harboring antibodies to the first isolate. These simian retroviruses were referred to as simian immunodeficiency virus from AGM, SIV[AGM], due to their cross-reactivities with HIV structural proteins. These SIV[AGM] isolates were found by Western blotting analysis to have virus-specific proteins of 120, 66, 55, 32-40, 24 and 17 kDa, which were all similar in size to the analogous proteins of HIV. Putative gag proteins of p55, p24 and p17 were recognized by sera of human AIDS patients, but the corresponding env proteins of 32-40 and 120 kDa showed only weak cross-reactivity with those of HIV. The transmembrane glycoproteins of these 3 SIV[AGM] isolates showed size heterogeneity, being 32, 35 and 40 kDa. This virus had particles that were morphologically similar to those of HIV, and had Mg2+-dependent reverse transcriptase. Furthermore, the SIV[AGM] showed tropism and cytopathic effects on CD4-positive human cell lines. In a sero-epidemiological survey of SIV[AGM] in various non-human primates, 2 other African monkey species, the mandrill and de Brazza's monkey, were also found to have antibodies to SIV[AGM]. These HIV-related simian retroviruses will be important in determining the origin and transmission of HIV group viruses, and may provide useful animal models for studies on the infection and pathogenesis of HIV and AIDS.

Identification of a New Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Lineage with a vpu Gene Present among Different Cercopithecus Monkeys ( C. mona , C. cephus , and C. nictitans ) from Cameroon

“…Since the discovery of HIV-1 and HIV-2, surveys of nonhuman primate species have indicated that related viruses are widespread in a large number of African primate species (18,21). Thirty species with serological evidence of SIV infection have already been identified, and in 27 this was confirmed by partial or full-length genome sequencing, highlighting the increasing complexity of phylogenetic relationships among primate lentiviruses.…”

The human T-cell lymphotropic viruses types I/II are not involved in T prolymphocytic leukemia and large granular lymphocytic leukemia

“…19 Negative controls were sterile water and DNA from an HTLV-negative T cell mers for a single copy gene, the endogenous retrovirus sequence ERV-3, 16 and only samples positive in this assay line, MOLT-4. 20 The sensitivity of PCR was determined by serial dilution of DNA from the cell line C10/PBL, which contains were further processed.…”

Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies that Distinguish Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Isolates from each Other and from Human Immunodeficiency Virus Types 1 and 2

“…These primate retroviruses, called simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs), were isolated from rhesus macaques Macaca mulatta (SIVMAc) , sooty mangabeys Cercocebus atys (SIVsM) (Fultz et al, 1986;Lowenstine et al, 1986;Murphey-Corb et al, 1986), African green monkeys Cercopithecus aethiops (SIVAGM) (Ohta et al, 1988), a cynomolgus macaque Macacafascicularis (Daniel et al, 1988a), a stump-tailed macaque Macaca arctoides (SIVstM) (Lowenstine et al, 1988), and a pigtailed macaque Macaca nemestrina (SIVMn¢) . These primate retroviruses are lentiviruses and share morphological and antigenic characteristics with HIV (Schneider & Hunsmann, 1988).…”

“…SIVMAc, SIVsM, SIVstM and SIVMn¢ induce an AIDS-like disease in rhesus monkeys Murphey-Corb et al, 1986;Lowenstine et al, 1988;Benveniste et al, 1988). However, the pathogenicity of SIVsM and SIVAcM in their natural African primate hosts has not been documented (Fultz et al, 1986;Ohta et al, 1988). As SIV infection of rhesus macaques provides a useful animal model for HIV pathogenesis, the characterization of the 0000-9016 © 1990 SGM antigenic relationships among HIV and SIV isolates will help in the understanding of the history and evolution of these primate lentiviruses.…”

“…Mr is indicated on the left. Lowenstine et al, 1986) and infected African green monkeys (Ohta et al, 1988), which crossreacted with the major core protein (p24) of HIV-1. In other studies, M A b s to HIV-2 p24 cross-reacted with HIV-1, SIVMAc, SIVAc~ and SIVsM (Minassian et al, 1988;Niedrig et al, 1988).…”