A CD8+, MHC class II+ lymphocyte lacking CTL function appears in rhesus monkey lymph nodes early after SIVmac infection.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

A CD8+, MHC class II+ lymphocyte lacking CTL function appears in rhesus monkey lymph nodes early after SIVmac infection.

Symp Nonhum Primate Models AIDS. 1990 Nov 28-30;8:42 (abstract no. 26). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE PRIM8/900026
Reimann KA; Snyder GB; Chalifoux LV; Miller MD; Letvin NL; Harvard Medical School, New England Regional Primate Research; Center, Southborough, MA 01772

Abstract: An alteration in lymphocyte subset distribution in the peripheral blood is one of the earliest manifestations of HIV infection in humans. We have characterized the coincident changes in the secondary lymphoid organs early after virus infection utilizing the SIVmac/rhesus monkey model. In a prospective study of 4 monkeys, within 3 weeks of experimental infection, not only was there a decrease in CD4+ lymphocytes in lymph nodes, but a significant increase in CD8+ lymphocytes was also evident. These CD8+ lymphocytes showed increased expression of MHC class II over time, suggesting that they were activated. However, the expression of CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor), another molecule expressed by activated lymphocytes, remained unchanged in both CD4+ and CD8+ subsets. Coincident with these changes, the expression of CD45RA (a molecule expressed by naive T cells) decreased markedly on CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes subsets as well. However, there was no change in the percentage of CD4+ or CD8+ LN cells undergoing cell cycling. Surprisingly, these phenotypic subset shifts preceded any detectable change in the light microscopic appearance of the LN by 5-7 weeks. When follicular hyperplasia did become evident, an increase in CD20+ cells in LN with an associated increase in cell cycling within this subset was seen. In an attempt to ascribe a function to these early appearing CD8+, MHC class II+, CD45RA-, CD25- LN cells, SIVmac-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses were assessed in this population. However, no consistent virus-specific effector function could be documented. These findings suggest that this lymphocyte subpopulation may serve a regulatory function.

Keywords: Animal CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY Disease Models, Animal Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/*IMMUNOLOGY Leukocyte Count Lymph Nodes/MICROBIOLOGY Lymphocyte Transformation/IMMUNOLOGY Macaca mulatta Receptors, Interleukin-2/IMMUNOLOGY Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*IMMUNOLOGY T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/*IMMUNOLOGY T-Lymphocytes, Suppressor-Effector/*IMMUNOLOGY ABSTRACT
910730
M9170968

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