Body-composition changes in the simian immunodeficiency virus-infected juvenile rhesus macaque.
BACKGROUND
Body-composition changes are common in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus. The purpose of the present study was to measure, as a model of wasting in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), longitudinal body-composition changes in macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV).


METHODS
Twelve juvenile macaques were inoculated with SIVmac239. Immunologic, virologic, somatometric, and dual-energy x-ray-absorptiometry measurements were performed prospectively every 4 weeks for 72 weeks and were compared to measurements taken from 8 uninfected control macaques.


RESULTS
During the first 4 weeks, body-fat percentage decreased in the SIV-infected macaques while lean-tissue percentage increased; during weeks 4-72, these macaques lost a greater percentage of total fat tissue but had more subcutaneous-fat deposition than did the uninfected control macaques. Just prior to death, the SIV-infected macaques that died (n=7) had a greater loss in body-mass index, abdominal fat, fat tissue, and lean tissue, compared with that in SIV-infected macaques that survived (n=5).


CONCLUSIONS
Body-composition changes in SIV-infected juvenile macaques exhibit 3 phases: during acute infection, loss of body weight from fat tissue; a compensation period during which macaques grow, but at a reduced rate; and a terminal phase, during which tissue is lost from all body compartments. The SIV-infected juvenile macaque provides a useful model for the investigation of wasting in AIDS, particularly for pediatric AIDS wasting.
Freeman
Lisa M
LM
Department of Clinical Sciences, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536, USA. lisa.freeman@tufts.edu
Mansfield
Keith G
KG
Goldin
Barry
B
Woods
Margo
M
Gualtieri
Lisa
L
Li
Wenjun
W
Bussell
Sarah
S
Lackner
Andrew
A
Gorbach
Sherwood L
SL
D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D019562:Viral Load
D012367:RNA, Viral