Clinical and Mucosal Immune Correlates of HIV-1 Semen Levels in Antiretroviral-Naive Men.

Background: This study was done to characterize parameters associated with semen human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral load (VL) variability in HIV-infected, therapy-naive men.

Methods: Paired blood and semen samples were collected from 30 HIV-infected, therapy-naive men who have sex with men, and 13 participants were observed longitudinally for up to 1 year. Human immunodeficiency virus RNA, bacterial load by 16S RNA, herpesvirus (Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus [CMV]) shedding, and semen cytokines/chemokines were quantified, and semen T-cell subsets were assessed by multiparameter flow cytometry.

A novel strain of cynomolgus macaque cytomegalovirus: implications for host-virus co-evolution.

Background: Cytomegaloviruses belong to a large, ancient, genus of DNA viruses comprised of a wide array of species-specific strains that occur in diverse array of hosts.

Methods: In this study we sequenced the ~217 Kb genome of a cytomegalovirus isolated from a Mauritius cynomolgus macaque, CyCMV Mauritius, and compared it to previously sequenced cytomegaloviruses from a cynomolgus macaque of Filipino origin (CyCMV Ottawa) and two from Indian rhesus macaques (RhCMV 180.92 and RhCMV 68-1).

Examining the species-specificity of rhesus macaque cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) in cynomolgus macaques.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a highly species-specific virus that has co-evolved with its host over millions of years and thus restricting cross-species infection. To examine the extent to which host restriction may prevent cross-species research between closely related non-human primates, we evaluated experimental infection of cynomolgus macaques with a recombinant rhesus macaque-derived CMV (RhCMV-eGFP). Twelve cynomolgus macaques were randomly allocated to three groups: one experimental group (RhCMV-eGFP) and two control groups (UV-inactivated RhCMV-eGFP or media alone).

Establishment of an immortal cynomolgus macaque fibroblast cell line for propagation of cynomolgus macaque cytomegalovirus (CyCMV).

Cynomolgus macaques are widely used as an animal model in biomedical research. We have established an immortalized cynomolgus macaque fibroblast cell line (MSF-T) by transducing primary dermal fibroblasts isolated from a 13-year-old male cynomolgus macaque with a retrovirus vector expressing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). The MSF-T cells showed increased telomerase enzyme activity and reached over 200 in vitro passages compared to the non-transduced dermal fibroblasts, which reached senescence after 43 passages.

Evaluation of cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) endogenous retrovirus expression following simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

Human endogenous retrovirus type K (HERV-K) transcripts are upregulated in the plasma of HIV-infected individuals and have been considered as targets for an HIV vaccine. We evaluated cynomolgus macaque endogenous retrovirus (CyERV) mRNA expression by RT-qPCR in PBMCs isolated from a cohort of animals previously utilized in a live attenuated SIV vaccine trial. CyERV env transcript levels decreased following vaccination (control and vaccine groups) and CyERV env and gag mRNA expression was decreased following acute SIV-infection, whereas during chronic SIV infection, CyERV transcript levels were indistinguishable from baseline.

Genomic sequencing and characterization of cynomolgus macaque cytomegalovirus.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common opportunistic infection in immunosuppressed individuals, such as transplant recipients or people living with HIV/AIDS, and congenital CMV is the leading viral cause of developmental disabilities in infants. Due to the highly species-specific nature of CMV, animal models that closely recapitulate human CMV (HCMV) are of growing importance for vaccine development. Here we present the genomic sequence of a novel nonhuman primate CMV from cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis; CyCMV).