title: Circulating IL-21 levels increase during early simian-human immunodeficiency virus infection in macaques.
abstract: The cytokine interleukin-21 (IL-21) regulates viral pathogenesis in individuals infected with human and simian immunodeficiency viruses. However, because the time of initial infection with HIV in humans is rarely known, the dynamics of IL-21 production during the first weeks have not been adequately explored. In the present study, we used rhesus macaques to model the first stages of infection. Twenty-two rhesus macaques were infected rectally with simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)-1157ipd3N4, and for 12 weeks, replication of the virus, the numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and the levels of plasma IL-21 were monitored. Our study demonstrated that plasma levels of IL-21 increased during the early phase of SHIV infection when compared with the values observed before inoculation. We conclude that IL-21 has a likely role in the immunopathogenesis of HIV/SIV/SHIV.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medical Center, No.5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang Dist, 100021, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chang-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.forename: Xi-Qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wei-Lun
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fang-Xin
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus; D013997:Time Factors; D014766:Viremia; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000098546:Interleukin-21