Clinical features and predictive markers of disease progression in cynomolgus monkeys experimentally infected with simian immunodeficiency virus

• Published in: AIDS (London) Vol. 6; no. 3; p. 257
• Main Authors: Putkonen, P, Kaaya, E E, Böttiger, D, Li, S L, Nilsson, C, Biberfeld, P, Biberfeld, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.03.1992
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigens, Viral - blood; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Disease Models, Animal; HIV Infections; Leukocyte Count; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphoma, B-Cell - etiology; Macaca fascicularis - microbiology; Prognosis; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - immunology; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - microbiology; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - pathology; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - immunology; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0269-9370
• DOI: 10.1097/00002030-199203000-00002

To study the pathogenicity of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVsm) in cynomolgus monkeys in order to establish an animal model for human AIDS. Thirty-three cynomolgus monkeys were monitored for more than 2 years following experimental infection with SIVsm. All the macaques became SIV-infected, as demonstrated by virus recovery from peripheral blood lymphocytes and by the appearance of viral antibodies. SIVsm was found to be pathogenic, killing 29 out of the 33 monkeys (88%) within 26 months. Clinically, infected monkeys developed lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, diarrhoea, weight loss, neurological symptoms and a remarkably high incidence (39%) of malignant lymphomas. All lymphomas were high-grade malignant and of B-cell origin. Disease progression was associated with low CD4+ lymphocyte count, involution of initially hyperplastic follicular B-cell areas in lymph nodes, reappearance of viral antigen in serum, loss of anti-Gag antibodies and development of systemic giant cell disease in 55% of the monkeys. There are many similarities between SIVsm-induced AIDS in cynomolgus monkeys and human AIDS with regard to clinical, virological, immunological and pathological manifestations.