Soluble and membrane-associated interleukin 2 receptor-alpha expression in rhesus monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus.
More than 80% of rhesus monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) were found to have elevated levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) in their serum during the course of infection. All long-term survivors had stably elevated levels of soluble IL-2R. The highest levels of soluble IL-2R correlated with the expression of IL-2R on tissue macrophages. Although IL-2R expression was induced on alveolar macrophages by infection with SIV in vitro, expression of IL-2R on tissue macrophages in vivo was not associated with concurrent SIV protein expression in the same cells. Moreover, in animals with high soluble IL-2R levels, there was an inverse relationship between the numbers of cells expressing IL-2R and cells expressing viral protein. The results suggest that the induction of IL-2R may be an indirect or secondary effect of SIV infection. Changes in expression of macrophage-elaborated factors, such as that of IL-2R described in this report, may play a crucial role in some of the pathologic features of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
Ringler
D J
DJ
Harvard Medical School, New England Regional Primate Research Center, Southborough, Massachusetts.
Walsh
D G
DG
Chalifoux
L V
LV
MacKey
J J
JJ
Daniel
M D
MD
Desrosiers
R C
RC
King
N W
NW
Hancock
W W
WW
D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus; D012995:Solubility
D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2