Small Intestine CD4 super(+) T Cells Are Profoundly Depleted during Acute Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection, Regardless of Viral Pathogenicity

• Published in: Journal of virology Vol. 82; no. 12; pp. 6039 - 6044
• Main Authors: Fukazawa, Yoshinori, Miyake, Ariko, Ibuki, Kentaro, Inaba, Katsuhisa, Saito, Naoki, Motohara, Makiko, Horiuchi, Reii, Himeno, Ai, Matsuda, Kenta, Matsuyama, Megumi, Takahashi, Hidemi, Hayami, Masanori, Igarashi, Tatsuhiko, Miura, Tomoyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.2008
• Subjects: Simian/human immunodeficiency virus
• ISSN: 0022-538X; 1098-5514

To analyze the relationship between acute virus-induced injury and the subsequent disease phenotype, we compared the virus replication and CD4 super(+) T-cell profiles for monkeys infected with isogenic highly pathogenic (KS661) and moderately pathogenic (#64) simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs). Intrarectal infusion of SHIV-KS661 resulted in rapid, systemic, and massive virus replication, while SHIV-#64 replicated more slowly and reached lower titers. Whereas KS661 systemically depleted CD4 super(+) T cells, #64 caused significant CD4 super(+) T-cell depletion only in the small intestine. We conclude that SHIV, regardless of pathogenicity, can cause injury to the small intestine and leads to CD4 super(+) T-cell depletion in infected animals during acute infection.