[Th17 lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of Chinese rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with or without SHIV infection].
OBJECTIVE
To observe CD4(+)IL-17(+) cells in the peripheral blood of Chinese rhesus macaques.


METHODS
Peripheral blood samples were collected from normal and SHIV infected rhesus macaques. Surface CD3, CD4, CD8 and intracellular IL-17A expression of peripheral blood (with or without PMA+Ionomycin stimulation) were detected by immunostaining with fluorochrome labeled monoclonal antibodies. The samples were acquired with FACScalibur and the data were analyzed with CellQuest.


RESULTS
IL-17A(+) cells were observed in all the 6 normal rhesus macaques but there were very few before cultured with PMA+Ionomycin. About 1.4% of lymphocytes were IL-17A(+) cells after stimulation and short-term cultivation, and about 2.7% of CD3(+)CD4(+) lymphocytes were IL-17A(+) cells, i.e. CD4(+) Th17 cells. Th17 cells in the 4 SHIV infected rhesus monkeys were also examined. The number of the Th17 cells detected after stimulation and short-term cultivation was not significantly different from that of normal monkeys.


CONCLUSIONS
Similar to human race, Chinese rhesus macaques possess a subset of CD4(+)IL-17A(+) cells, suggesting these rhesus monkey can be used to study the relationship between Th17 cells and HIV/AIDS.
Qiu
Chen-li
CL
National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory for Infection Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 100050, China. qiuchenli@yahoo.com.cn
Zhao
Hui
H
Yang
Gui-bo
GB
D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*
D017252:CD3 Complex; D020381:Interleukin-17