title: Mhc haplotype H6 is associated with sustained control of SIVmac251 infection in Mauritian cynomolgus macaques.
abstract: The restricted diversity of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques provides powerful opportunities for insight into host-viral interactions and cellular immune responses that restrict lentiviral infections. However, little is known about the effects of Mhc haplotypes on control of SIV in this species. Using microsatellite-based genotyping and allele-specific PCR, Mhc haplotypes were deduced for 35 macaques infected with the same stock of SIVmac251. Class I haplotype H6 was associated with a reduction in chronic phase viraemia (p = 0.0145) while a similar association was observed for H6 class II (p = 0.0063). An increase in chronic phase viraemia, albeit an insignificant trend, was observed in haplotype H5-positive animals. These results further emphasise the value of genetically defined populations of non-human primates in AIDS research and provide a foundation for detailed characterisation of MHC restricted cellular immune responses and the effects of host genetics on SIV replication in cynomolgus macaques.
authors.affiliation: Division of Retrovirology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Hertfordshire, UK. emee@nibsc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Edward T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Mee
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ham
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sauermann
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Maggiorella
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinon
authors.forename: Ernst J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Verschoor
authors.forename: Jonathan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Heeney
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Le Grand
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Titti
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Almond
authors.forename: Nicola J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Rose