title: Placental immunopathology and pregnancy failure in the FIV-infected cat.
abstract: Placental HIV infections frequently result in infected babies or miscarriage. Aberrant placental cytokine expression during HIV infections may facilitate transplacental viral transmission or pregnancy perturbation. The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cat is a model for HIV infections due to similarities in biology and clinical disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate placental immunomodulator expression and reproductive outcome using the FIV-infected cat model. Kittens were cesarean delivered from FIV-B-2542-infected and control queens near term; placental and fetal tissues were collected. Real-time RT-PCR was used to measure expression of representative placental Th1 cytokines, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), a Th2 cytokine, IL-10, and chemokine receptor CXCR4. On average, control queens delivered 3.8 kittens/litter; 1 of 31 kittens (3.2%) was non-viable. FIV-infected queens produced 2.7 kittens/litter; 15 of 25 concepti (60%) were non-viable. FIV was detected in 14 of 15 placentas (93%) and 21 of 22 fetuses (95%) using PCR. Placental immunomodulator expression did not differ significantly when placentas from infected cats were compared to those of control cats. However, elevated expression of Th1 cytokines and increased Th1/Th2 ratios (IL-1beta/IL-10) occurred in placentas from resorptions. Therefore, increased placental Th1 cytokine expression was associated with pregnancy failure in the FIV-infected cat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nail
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kelly-Quagliana
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Coats
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases; D002415:Cats; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020964:Embryo Loss / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D005327:Fetal Resorption / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger