Strong mucosal immune responses in SIV infected macaques contribute to viral control and preserved CD4+ T-cell levels in blood and mucosal tissues.

Background: Since there is still no protective HIV vaccine available, better insights into immune mechanism of persons effectively controlling HIV replication in the absence of any therapy should contribute to improve further vaccine designs. However, little is known about the mucosal immune response of this small unique group of patients. Using the SIV-macaque-model for AIDS, we had the rare opportunity to analyze 14 SIV-infected rhesus macaques durably controlling viral replication (controllers).

Topical nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor MC 1220 partially prevents vaginal RT-SHIV infection of macaques.

The availability of an effective vaginal microbicide would be a major step toward containment of HIV transmission as well as allowing women self-protection against HIV infection. Here we evaluated the efficacy of vaginal application of the potent nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) MC 1220 against vaginal challenge of macaques with RT-SHIV, a chimeric simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) containing the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene of HIV-1. Challenge infection of monkeys with RT-SHIV currently represents the only nonhuman primate model available to test the anti-HIV-1 effects of NNRTIs.

Correlation between CD4+ T-cell loss and Gag-specific T cells in different intestinal sites of chronically SIV-infected rhesus monkeys.

Objective: To determine the loss of CD4+ T cells and virus-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) in different mucosal sites of rhesus monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV).

Design: A cross-sectional comparative investigation of seven different mucosal sites from chronically SIV-infected rhesus monkeys was performed by analyzing blood and mucosal lymphocytes.

Methods: Mucosal lymphocytes were isolated from duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon as well as from vagina, cervix and uterus of SIV-infected rhesus monkeys at necropsy.

Flow cytometric characterization of the lymphocyte composition in a variety of mucosal tissues in healthy rhesus macaques.

Background: Rhesus monkeys play a central role in model studies on human infectious diseases, and often mucosal organs are affected by these pathogens, e.g. HIV.