title: Effect of feline immunodeficiency virus on cytokine response to Listeria monocytogenes in vivo.
abstract: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that induces an acquired immunodeficiency in domestic cats. The objective of this study was to compare the immune response of chronically FIV-infected cats and specific pathogen free (SPF) cats to Listeria monocytogenes, a facultative intracellular bacterium. Regional lymph nodes were removed at various times after subcutaneous inoculation with L. monocytogenes and evaluated. Lymph nodes of chronically FIV-infected cats enlarged more slowly and to a lesser degree than SPF cats. This was due to delayed and blunted lymphoid follicle formation and markedly diminished histiocyte influx. The cellular response correlated with a marked upregulation in IL10 transcription and delayed increase in TNF-alpha upregulation in FIV-infected cats. Transcriptional upregulation of IFN-gamma, IL4, and the p40 chain of IL12 was similar in lymph nodes of FIV-infected and SPF cats. Clinically, FIV-infected cats had a more severe response at the site of L. monocytogenes injection and showed signs of systemic bacterial dissemination while SPF cats remained clinically normal. FIV-infected cats generated a delayed hypersensitivity response similar to SPF cats but also had a significantly greater antibody response. Taken together, these data suggest excessive IL10 production may be responsible for the deficiency observed in the innate immune response of chronically FIV-infected cats challenged with L. monocytogenes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Pathology, and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27606, USA. gregg_dean@ncsu.edu
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bernales
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Pedersen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D002415:Cats; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000502:physiology*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha