title: Comparative study of the plasma globulin level, CD21(-) B-cell counts and FOXP3 mRNA expression level in CD4(+) T-cells for different clinical stages of feline immunodeficiency virus infected cats.
abstract: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection leads to hypergammaglobulinemia through mechanisms that remain poorly understood. We investigated changes in plasma globulin level, B cells, and T cells with progression of the clinical stage of FIV-infected cats. We classified FIV-infected cats into the stage of Asymptomatic carrier (AC) and AIDS-related complex (ARC) based on the clinical symptoms, and measured the plasma globulin level, the CD4(+) T-cell counts, and analyzed surface markers of B cells. We investigated the relationship between the plasma globulin level and regulatory T cells (Tregs) using the Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) mRNA expression level. In FIV-infected cats, the plasma globulin level and the surface immunoglobulin (sIg)(+) CD21(-) B-cell counts were increased, whereas the CD4(+) T-cell counts were decreased compared with specific-pathogen free (SPF) cats. The mRNA expression of Blimp-1 (master gene of plasma cells) was increased in peripheral blood, and the FOXP3 mRNA expression level was decreased in CD4(+) T-cells. These immunological changes were marked in the ARC stage. These data indicate that the decrease of Tregs and the increase of plasma cells lead to hypergammaglobulinemia.
authors.affiliation: Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosoya
authors.forename: Akari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shibao
authors.forename: Bunpei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nagasaki
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hohdatsu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D018450:Disease Progression; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000378:metabolism; D012712:Serum Globulins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d; D012712:Serum Globulins