title: Immune-endocrine interactions in treated and untreated cats naturally infected with FIV.
abstract: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that causes a progressive disruption of immune function in cats. The neuroendocrine and immune systems communicate bidirectionally, mediated by cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF), several interleukins (IL-1, IL-6, IL-10), and through signals induced by the ratio of IL-10 to IL-12. FIV can affect both pituitary adrenal and thyroid axis function. Twenty FIV-infected cats in similar stages of the disease were evaluated for six months. A cross-sectional study in which the twenty cats were divided into two groups was performed. Ten were treated with Zidovudine (ZDV: 5mg/kg/d, PO, q12h, for six months) and 10 were untreated. Plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, T4, FT4, T3, IL-10, IL-12 and viral load (VL) were evaluated after six months. ACTH was found in significantly lower concentrations (p<0.0001) in the treated group whereas cortisol did not show significant differences between the two groups. Both T4 and FT4 had high values in untreated individuals (p<0.001) compared with Zidovudine treated cats. T3 did not show significant differences between the two groups. Both IL-10 and IL-12 were found in significantly higher concentrations in ZDV treated cats (p<0.001). By contrast, the IL10/IL-12 ratio values were significantly lower in untreated cats. Viral load was significantly lower in the treated cats after six months of therapy, compared with values detected pre-treatment (p<0.002). Untreated cats showed a significant increase of VL (p<0.04) compared with the values at the beginning of the study. In treated cats, VL showed lower numbers of viral copies than in untreated cats (p<0.01). In summary, Zidovudine treatment appeared to contribute to the normalization of both the adrenal and thyroid axes. This effect could be attributed to the decrease observed in VL, resulting in a change in cytokine patterns.
authors: Cat. Clínica Médica de Pequeños Animales, Hospital Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. ngomez@fvet.uba.ar
authors: Nélida V
authors: NV
authors: Gómez
authors: Víctor A
authors: VA
authors: Castillo
authors: María Amelia
authors: MA
authors: Gisbert
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Pisano
authors: Graciela
authors: G
authors: Mira
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Fontanals
authors: María Fernanda Cabrera
authors: MF
authors: Blatter
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002415:Cats / Q000821:virology; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load / Q000662:veterinary; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053759:Interleukin-23; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015215:Zidovudine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone