The Cynomolgus Macaque MHC Polymorphism in Experimental Medicine.

Among the non-human primates used in experimental medicine, cynomolgus macaques ( hereafter referred to as ) are increasingly selected for the ease with which they are maintained and bred in captivity. Macaques belong to Old World monkeys and are phylogenetically much closer to humans than rodents, which are still the most frequently used animal model. Our understanding of the genome has progressed rapidly in recent years and has greatly benefited from the latest technical advances in molecular genetics. Cynomolgus macaques are widespread in Southeast Asia and numerous studies have shown a distinct genetic differentiation of continental and island populations. The major histocompatibility complex of cynomolgus macaque ( MHC) is organized in the same way as that of human, but it differs from the latter by its high degree of classical class I gene duplication. Human polymorphic MHC regions play a pivotal role in allograft transplantation and have been associated with more than 100 diseases and/or phenotypes. The MHC polymorphism similarly plays a crucial role in experimental allografts of organs and stem cells. Experimental results show that the MHC class I and II regions influence the ability to mount an immune response against infectious pathogens and vaccines. MHC also affects cynomolgus macaque reproduction and impacts on numerous biological parameters. This review describes the MHC polymorphism and the methods currently used to characterize it. We discuss some of the major areas of experimental medicine where an effect induced by MHC polymorphism has been demonstrated.