Longitudinal analysis of CD8+ T-cell phenotype and IL-7, IL-15 and IL-16 mRNA expression in different tissues during primary simian immunodeficiency virus infection

• Published in: Microbes and infection Vol. 3; no. 3; pp. 181 - 191
• Main Authors: CAUFOUR, Philippe, LE GRAND, Roger, CHERET, Arnaud, NEILDEZ, Olivier, THIEBOT, Hugues, THEODORO, Frédéric, BOSON, Bertrand, VASLIN, Bruno, VENET, Alain, DORMONT, Dominique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier 01.03.2001; Amsterdam; Paris
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - immunology; CD28 Antigens - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Disease Models, Animal; Experimental viral diseases and models; Infectious diseases; Interleukin-15 - genetics; Interleukin-16 - genetics; Interleukin-7 - genetics; Kinetics; Longitudinal Studies; Lymph Nodes - immunology; Lymphocyte Count; Macaca fascicularis; Medical sciences; Phenotype; RNA, Messenger - analysis; RNA, Viral - blood; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - blood; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - immunology; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - genetics; Viral diseases; Immunopathology; Animal model; Primary infection; Cytokine; Monkey; Retroviridae; AIDS; Gene expression; Interleukin 15; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Cell subpopulation; Infection; Virus; Interleukin 7; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Messenger RNA; Viral disease; T-Lymphocyte; Primates; Simian immunodeficiency virus
• ISSN: 1286-4579; 1769-714X
• DOI: 10.1016/S1286-4579(01)01370-3

Infection of macaques with pathogenic isolates of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) represents a useful model of HIV infection that offers the unique opportunity to investigate the very early modifications that affect CD8(+) T-lymphocyte subsets and related cytokines during lentiviral infection. Herein, three cynomolgus macaques were inoculated intravenously with a pathogenic isolate of SIVmac 251. In fresh isolated mononuclear cells from blood, lymph node and bronchoalveolar lavage, we analyzed changes in the phenotype of CD8(+) T cells and we used reverse transcription-PCR to monitor the expression of IL-7, IL-15 and IL-16 mRNA. We demonstrated that an expansion of CD8(+)CD28(-) T cells occurs from the third week of infection on in the peripheral blood and in the lung, whereas CD8(+)CD28(+) T cells expand in the lymph nodes. Concomitantly, we evidenced mRNA modulations in IL-16, IL-15 and IL-7 expression in the three compartments studied. The containment of systemic viral replication was associated with an overexpression of IL-16 mRNA in the lung and in the peripheral blood. Given the immunomodulatory properties of IL-15 and IL-7 and the potential antiviral ability of IL-16, these perturbations could have important implications in early viral dissemination and HIV immunopathogenesis.