title: Frequency of the major histocompatibility complex Mamu-A*01 allele in a closed breeding colony of rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) from Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhesus monkeys are relevant models for human diseases. The simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection is an useful macaque model for assessing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine strategies. Susceptibility and resistance to viruses have been associated with particular major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Several epitopes in the HIV structural and non-structural protein restricted by distinct MHC class I haplotypes are important targets for human cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which mediate protection against SIVmac infection. Mamu-A*01, for example, is a MHC class I molecule of rhesus monkeys that presents a peptide from SIV gag protein.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study determined the frequency of Mamu-A*01 in a closed colony of rhesus monkeys from Brazil by polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high frequency of the allele was found in the study colony.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This colony provides a significant source of A*01-positive animals to investigators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primatology, Center for Laboratory Animal Breeding, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. andrade@fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Márcia Cristina Ribeiro
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: José Paulo Gagliardi
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Pedro Hernan
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Cabello
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D001947:Breeding; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male