title: Cutting edge: Experimentally induced immune activation in natural hosts of simian immunodeficiency virus induces significant increases in viral replication and CD4+ T cell depletion.
abstract: Chronically SIVagm-infected African green monkeys (AGMs) have a remarkably stable nonpathogenic disease course, with levels of immune activation in chronic SIVagm infection similar to those observed in uninfected monkeys and with stable viral loads for long periods of time. In vivo administration of LPS or an IL-2/diphtheria toxin fusion protein (Ontak) to chronically SIVagm-infected AGMs triggered increases in immune activation and subsequently of viral replication and depletion of intestinal CD4(+) T cells. Our study indicates that circulating microbial products can increase viral replication by inducing immune activation and increasing the number of viral target cells, thus demonstrating that immune activation and T cell proliferation are key factors in AIDS pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA. ipandrea@tulane.edu
authors.forename: Ivona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pandrea
authors.forename: Thaidra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gaufin
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brenchley
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Monjure
authors.forename: Aarti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.forename: Clint
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lackner
authors.forename: Ruy M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Douek
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Apetrei
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C078456:denileukin diftitox