title: High frequency of virus-specific B lymphocytes in germinal centers of simian-human immunodeficiency virus-infected rhesus monkeys.
abstract: The etiology of the lymphadenopathy and follicular hyperplasia associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection has remained unclear. To determine whether the B-lymphocyte expansions characteristic of this syndrome represent polyclonal and virus-specific processes, the antigen specificity of B cells in lymphoid tissues of monkeys infected with simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) chimeras was assessed using an inverse immunohistochemical assay with biotinylated HIV-1 envelope gp120 (Env) as an antigen probe. Env-binding B cells were found aggregated in lymph node and splenic germinal centers (GCs). Most Env-binding GCs also contained an unstained population of B cells, suggesting the GCs were formed by a polyclonal (oligoclonal) process. By day 42 following infection, Env-binding B cells were present in 19% of all lymph node GCs. Env-binding cells were present in 25% of GCs even during chronic infection. This extraordinarily high frequency of Env-specific B lymphocytes suggests that the expansion of virus-specific B cells may largely account for the follicular hyperplasia in AIDS virus-infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. david_margolin@caregroup.harvard.edu
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Margolin
authors.forename: Erika F Helmuth
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bronfin
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Rosa
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Axthelm
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Norman L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Letvin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D019921:Biotinylation; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D051379:Mice; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D011994:Recombinant Proteins