title: Induction of feline immunodeficiency virus-specific cytolytic T-cell responses from experimentally infected cats.
abstract: We have examined the in vitro induction and activity of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-specific cytolytic T cells obtained from cats experimentally infected for 7 to 17 weeks or 20 to 22 months with the Petaluma isolate of FIV. Normal or FIV-infected autologous and allogeneic T lymphoblastoid cells were used as target cells in chromium-51 or indium-111 release assays. When effector cells consisted of either fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells or concanavalin A- and interleukin-2-stimulated cells, only low levels of cytotoxicity were observed. However, the levels of FIV-specific cytotoxicity were consistently higher in both groups of cats following in vitro stimulation of the effector cells with irradiated, FIV-infected autologous T lymphoblastoid cells and interleukin-2. The effector cells lysed autologous but not allogeneic FIV-infected target cells and were composed predominantly of CD8+ T cells, indicating that the FIV-specific cytotoxicity measured in this system is mediated by CD8+, major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted T cells. These studies show that FIV-specific cytolytic T cells can be detected as early as 7 to 9 weeks postinfection, and they define a system to identify virus-encoded epitopes important in the induction of protective immunity against lentiviruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-4467.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Collisson
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Billingsley
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D002415:Cats; D002460:Cell Line; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D007204:Indium / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014764:Viral Proteins; D007204:Indium; D003208:Concanavalin A