In vivo osteopontin-induced macrophage accumulation is dependent on CD44 expression.

In order to assess the role of osteopontin (OPN) in leukocyte accumulation in inflammatory conditions, native OPN and its thrombin cleaved form (OPN+Thr) were studied in vivo using a rodent subcutaneous air pouch model (AP). Both forms of OPN-induced macrophage infiltration into the AP in wild-type mice. In animals lacking CD44, macrophage numbers were significantly reduced within the cavity, but cells still accumulated along the subcutaneous lining.

Simian immunodeficiency virus-induced CD4+ T cell deficits in cytokine secretion profile are dependent on monkey origin.

Facets of the immune response early after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection influence the course of disease. In the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-rhesus monkey system, a global dysfunction of CD4(+) T cell cytokine secretion was reported to develop early after infection [McKay PF, Barouch DH, Schmitz JE, Veazey RS, Gorgone DA, Lifton MA, Williams KC, and Letvin NL: J Virol 2003;77:4695-4702]. Because differences have been found in SIV pathogenesis depending on the origin of the monkeys, we investigated the correlation between animal background, defined by country of origin (India or China), and circulating T cell cytokine secretion as well as cycling ability within the first 3 mo of SIV infection.