title: Serological, biological, and molecular characterization of New Zealand white rabbits infected by intraperitoneal inoculation with cell-free human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: The availability of a small laboratory animal model suitable for the evaluation of methods for prevention and treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection would be a valuable resource for AIDS research. Here we describe the infection of a strain of domestic rabbits by intraperitoneal inoculation with cell-free human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Evidence of infection includes the presence of an immune response that has persisted for almost 3 years and the detection of an reisolation of infectious virus from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and other tissues during the first 2 years. Typical viral proteins, DNA and RNA patterns, were observed in rabbit PBMCs and in cells infected by cocultivation with rabbit PBMCs. While a number of possible pathological changes were evaluated in infected rabbits, the presence of changes in lymph node structure similar to those reported in infected humans merits further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Retrovirology, School of Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reina
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Markham
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rayed
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reitz
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: O E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Varnier
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002474:Cell-Free System; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000097:blood; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase