Increase in plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells by progenipoietin-1, a chimeric Flt-3 and G-CSF receptor agonist, in SIV-Infected rhesus macaques.

As in HIV-1 infection in humans, SIVsm infection of rhesus macaques causes a slow progressive loss of CD4 T-cells followed by the onset of AIDS. In addition, there is a loss of dendritic cells (DC) in peripheral blood, peripheral lymphoid tissues, and the skin. Increasing the number of CD4 T cells and DC may be an important step in restoring immune competence and thus delay disease progression.

Changes in dendritic cell subsets in the lymph nodes of rhesus macaques after application of glucocorticoids.

Corticosteroids are used therapeutically as potent immunosuppressive and antiinflammatory drugs for a broad spectrum of diseases. Although corticosteroids are known to inhibit the production of many cytokines in activated T cells, there is also evidence for increases in IL-4 and in some cases IFNgamma production. These conflicting results may be caused by contrary effects of corticosteroids on different cell types involved in immune regulation, for instance antigen presenting cells (APC) versus T cells.

The relative resistance of HIV type 1-infected chimpanzees to AIDS correlates with the maintenance of follicular architecture and the absence of infiltration by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Lymphoid tissues are the focus of critical events in HIV pathogenesis. Persistent and high levels of virus production, extensive trapping of virus particles in germinal centers, and progressive degenerative changes in lymph node architecture are characteristics of progressive HIV-1 infection. Infiltrates of granzyme B- and TIA-expressing CD8+ "cytotoxic" T lymphocytes (CTLs) precede involution of germinal centers in humans who develop AIDS.

Characteristics of primary infection of a European human immunodeficiency virus type 1 clade B isolate in chimpanzees.

The aim of the study was to select, from a panel of candidate European human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) clade B primary virus isolates, one isolate based on replication properties in chimpanzee peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Secondly, to evaluate the in vivo kinetics of primary infection of the selected isolate at two different doses in two mature, outbred chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Four different low passage, human PBMC-cultured 'primary' HIV-1 isolates with European clade B consensus sequence were compared for their ability to replicate in vitro in chimpanzee versus human PBMC.

Cytotoxic T cells and neutralizing antibodies induced in rhesus monkeys by virus-like particle HIV vaccines in the absence of protection from SHIV infection.

HIV Pr55gag has in the absence of other viral components the capacity to self assemble in budding noninfectious virus-like particles (VLP). The immunological spectrum of the HIV-1IIIB gag-derived VLP was expanded either by stable anchoring of chimeric modified gp 120 on the surface of the VLP (type 1) or by replacing sequences of the Pr55gag precursor by the V3 loop and a linear portion of the CD4 binding domain (type 2). This noninfectious antigen delivery system was evaluated for immunogenicity and efficacy in rhesus macaques without adjuvants.

Comparison of the response to T-cell activation by integrated HIV-1 and HTLV-1 LTR-lacZ vectors.

Human Jurkat T-cell clones containing stably integrated HIV-1 LTR or HTLV-1 LTR/lacZ vectors were studied to compare the responses of integrated LTRs to T-cell activation. Responses were compared also with those obtained in parallel with Jurkat cells stably expressing lacZ under the control of the cellular enhancer element NF-AT of the IL-2 promoter. Activation induced via the cell surface TCR/CD3 complex or the CD28 receptor elicited responses from the LTR of HIV-1; however, HTLV-1 LTR-directed expression was not observed following triggering of these cell surface pathways.

Detection of human T-cell leukaemia virus 1 permissive cells using cell lines producing selectable recombinant virions.

A selectable retrovirus vector based on a full length HTLV-1 provirus clone, pCS-HTLV-1, was constructed by replacing the coding regions for tax, rex and the 3' region of env with the prokaryotic neomycin resistance gene under the control of the CMV promoter. This vector, pHTLV-1-CMVneo, was transfected into HTLV-1 infected human lymphocytes and fibroblasts. The production of recombinant virus by these cells was measured by the transfer of G418 resistance to target cells.

Inhibition of apoptosis in T cells expressing human T cell leukemia virus type I Tax.

This study set out to determine whether T cell dysfunction associated with HTLV-I led to increased sensitivity of infected cells to apoptosis or, owing to their potential to develop ATL, if infected cells would become resistant to this process. To test this hypothesis we utilized the monoclonal antibody anti-APO-1, which has been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in human T cells. Human T cell lines expressing HTLV-I showed reduced susceptibility to anti-APO-1-induced apoptosis despite expression of high levels of cell surface APO-1.

Calcium-mediated inhibition of phorbol ester and Tax trans-activation of the human T cell leukaemia virus type 1.

Human Jurkat T cells containing a stably integrated human T cell leukaemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) long terminal repeat (LTR) reporter gene construct were used to study the role of calcium-dependent cellular activation pathways in LTR trans-activation. Treatment of these cells with the calcium ionophore ionomycin resulted in a reduced basal response of the LTR and reduced responses to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-and Tax-mediated trans-activation. This effect was also observed for virus production in the HTLV-1-producing T cell line MT-2.

Cytochemical analysis of human T cell leukaemia virus I LTR-regulated beta-galactosidase gene expression using a novel integrated cell system.

To develop a reporter system to study the response of an integrated retroviral LTR and cellular and viral events which influence transcription, the 5' LTR of HTLV-1 was coupled to the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene (lacZ). This construct was assembled within a vector containing the neomycin resistance gene controlled by the SV40 promoter, and introduced into HeLa cells. Expression from the LTR in one clone was upregulated by positive regulators of HTLV-1 expression, including 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and the HTLV-1 transregulatory protein (tax), as has been previously reported using transient transfection assays.

Lymphoproliferative disorders developing after transplantation and their relation to simian T-cell leukemia virus infection.

In this report the role of the HTLV-1-like simian T-cell leukemia virus (STLV) during the development of posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLPD) is described. To prevent rejection of an allogeneic transplant in 12 rhesus monkeys cyclosporin A (CyA), prednisone, and/or lymphocyte-specific monoclonal antibodies were used for immunosuppression. Seven monkeys died during the experiment between 22 and 179 days postoperatively.