scholarly journals CAR/CXCR5-T cell immunotherapy is safe and potentially efficacious in promoting sustained remission of SIV infection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Susan Pampusch ◽  
Hadia M Abdelaal ◽  
Emily K Cartwright ◽  
Jhomary S Molden ◽  
Brianna C Davey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Lymphoid Tissues ◽  
Sustained Remission ◽  
Lymphoid Follicles ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Siv Infection

During chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection prior to AIDS progression, the vast majority of viral replication is concentrated within B cell follicles of secondary lymphoid tissues. We investigated whether infusion of T cells expressing an SIV-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and the follicular homing receptor, CXCR5, could successfully kill viral-RNA + cells in targeted lymphoid follicles in SIV-infected rhesus macaques. In this study, CD4 and CD8 T cells from rhesus macaques were genetically modified to express antiviral CAR and CXCR5 moieties (generating CAR/CXCR5-T cells) and autologously infused into a chronically infected animal. At 2 days post-treatment, the CAR/CXCR5-T cells were located primarily in spleen and lymph nodes both inside and outside of lymphoid follicles. Few CAR/CXCR5-T cells were detected in the rectum and lung, and no cells were detected in the bone marrow, liver, brain, or ileum. Within follicles, CAR/CXCR5-T cells were found in direct contact with SIV viral RNA+ cells. We next infused CAR/CXCR5-T cells into ART-suppressed SIV-infected rhesus macaques, in which the animals were released from ART at the time of infusion. These CAR/CXCR5-T cells replicated in vivo within both the extrafollicular and follicular regions of lymph nodes and accumulated within lymphoid follicles. CAR/CXR5-T cell concentrations in follicles peaked during the first week post-infusion but declined to undetectable levels after 2 to 4 weeks. Overall, CAR/CXCR5-T cell-treated animals maintained lower viral loads and follicular viral RNA levels than untreated control animals, and no outstanding adverse reactions were noted. These findings indicate that CAR/CXCR5-T cell treatment is safe and holds promise as a future treatment for the durable remission of HIV.

scholarly journals nef Gene Is Required for Robust Productive Infection by Simian Immunodeficiency Virus of T-Cell-Rich Paracortex in Lymph Nodes

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (7) ◽  
pp. 4169-4180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chie Sugimoto ◽  
Kei Tadakuma ◽  
Isao Otani ◽  
Takashi Moritoyo ◽  
Hirofumi Akari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Productive Infection ◽  
Lymphoid Tissues ◽  
Double Staining ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Siv Infection ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Sivmac239 Infection

ABSTRACT The pathogenesis of AIDS virus infection in a nonhuman primate AIDS model was studied by comparing plasma viral loads, CD4+ T-cell subpopulations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in lymph nodes for rhesus macaques infected with a pathogenic molecularly cloned SIVmac239 strain and those infected with its nef deletion mutant (Δnef). In agreement with many reports, whereas SIVmac239 infection induced AIDS and depletion of memory CD4+ T cells in 2 to 3 years postinfection (p.i.), Δnef infection did not induce any manifestation associated with AIDS up to 6.5 years p.i. To explore the difference in SIV infection in lymphoid tissues, we biopsied lymph nodes at 2, 8, 72, and 82 weeks p.i. and analyzed them by pathological techniques. Maximal numbers of SIV-infected cells (SIV Gag+, Env+, and RNA+) were detected at 2 weeks p.i. in both the SIVmac239-infected animals and the Δnef-infected animals. In the SIVmac239-infected animals, most of the infected cells were localized in the T-cell-rich paracortex, whereas in the Δnef-infected animals, most were localized in B-cell-rich follicles and in the border region between the paracortex and the follicles. Analyses by double staining of CD68+ macrophages and SIV Gag+ cells and by double staining of CD3+ T cells and SIV Env+ cells revealed that SIV-infected cells were identified as CD4+ T cells in either the SIVmac239 or the Δnef infection. Whereas the many functions of Nef protein were reported from in vitro studies, our finding of SIVmac239 replication in the T-cell-rich paracortex in the lymph nodes supports the reported roles of Nef protein in T-cell activation and enhancement of viral infectivity. Furthermore, the abundance of SIVmac239 infection and the paucity of Δnef infection in the T-cell-rich paracortex accounted for the differences in viral replication and pathogenicity between SIVmac239 and the Δnef mutant. Thus, our in vivo study indicated that the nef gene enhances SIV replication by robust productive infection in memory CD4+ T cells in the T-cell-rich region in lymphoid tissues.

scholarly journals Differential Dynamics of Regulatory T-Cell and Th17 Cell Balance in Mesenteric Lymph Nodes and Blood following Early Antiretroviral Initiation during Acute Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Yero ◽  
Omar Farnos ◽  
Henintsoa Rabezanahary ◽  
Gina Racine ◽  
Jérôme Estaquier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Immune Activation ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Mesenteric Lymph Nodes ◽  
Tissue Fibrosis ◽  
Mesenteric Lymph ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Siv Infection

ABSTRACT Increased frequencies of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) are associated with gut lymphoid tissue fibrosis and dysfunction which, in turn, contribute to disease progression in chronic simian immunodeficiency virus/human immunodeficiency virus (SIV/HIV) infection. Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), which drain the large and small intestine, are critical sites for the induction and maintenance of gut mucosal immunity. However, the dynamics of Tregs in MLNs are not well understood due to the lack of accessibility to these tissues in HIV-infected individuals. Here, the dynamics of Tregs in blood and MLNs were assessed in SIV-infected rhesus macaques (RMs) following early antiretroviral drug (ARV) initiation. Early ARV initiation reduced T-cell immune activation, as assessed by HLA-DR/CD39 expression, and prevented the depletion of memory CCR6+ Th17 cells in both blood and MLNs. Untreated animals showed higher frequencies of Tregs, CD39+ Tregs, thymic Tregs, and new memory CD4 populations sharing similarity with Tregs as CTLA4+ PD1– and CTLA4+ PD1– FoxP3+ T cells. Despite early ARV treatment, the frequencies of these Treg subsets remained unchanged within the MLNs and, in contrast to blood normalization, the Th17/Treg ratio remained distorted in MLNs. Furthermore, our results highlighted that the expressions of IDO-1, TGFβ1 and collagen-1 mRNA remained unchanged in MLN of ARV-treated RMs. ARV interruption did not affect T-cell immune activation and Th17/Treg ratios in MLN. Altogether, our data demonstrated that early ARV initiation within the first few days of SIV infection is unable to reduce the frequencies and homing of various subsets of Tregs within the MLNs which, in turn, may result in tissue fibrosis, impairment in MLN function, and HIV persistence. IMPORTANCE Tregs contribute to SIV/HIV disease progression by inhibition of antiviral specific responses and effector T-cell proliferation. Tregs also cause tissue fibrosis via transforming growth factor β1 production and collagen deposition, which are associated with microbial translocation and generalized immune activation. Early ARV initiation upon viral exposure is recommended globally and results in improved immune function recovery and reduced viral persistence. Here, using an acute SIV infection model of rhesus macaques, we demonstrated for the first time that despite clear improvements in mucosal CD4 T cells, in contrast to blood, Treg frequencies in MLNs remained elevated following early ARV initiation. The particular Th17/Treg balance observed in MLNs can contribute, in part, to the maintenance of mucosal fibrosis during suppressive ARV treatment. Our results provide a better understanding of gut mucosal immune dynamics following early ARV initiation. These findings suggest that Treg-based treatments could serve as a novel immunotherapeutic approach to decrease gut mucosal damage during SIV/HIV infections.

scholarly journals Dynamics of CCR5 Expression by CD4+ T Cells in Lymphoid Tissues during Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (23) ◽  
pp. 11001-11007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald S. Veazey ◽  
Keith G. Mansfield ◽  
Irene C. Tham ◽  
Angela C. Carville ◽  
Daniel E. Shvetz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Cell Loss ◽  
Lymphoid Tissues ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Siv Infection ◽  
Spleen And Lymph Nodes

ABSTRACT Early viral replication and profound CD4+ T-cell depletion occur preferentially in intestinal tissues of macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Here we show that a much higher percentage of CD4+ T cells in the intestine express CCR5 compared with those found in the peripheral blood, spleen, or lymph nodes. In addition, the selectivity and extent of the CD4+ T-cell loss in SIV infection may depend upon these cells coexpressing CCR5 and having a “memory” phenotype (CD45RA−). Following intravenous infection with SIVmac251, memory CD4+ CCR5+ T cells were selectively eliminated within 14 days in all major lymphoid tissues (intestine, spleen, and lymph nodes). However, the effect on CD4+T-cell numbers was most profound in the intestine, where cells of this phenotype predominate. The CD4+ T cells that remain after 14 days of infection lacked CCR5 and/or were naive (CD45RA+). Furthermore, when animals in the terminal stages of SIV infection (with AIDS) were examined, virtually no CCR5-expressing CD4+ T cells were found in lymphoid tissues, and all of the remaining CD4+ T cells were naive and coexpressed CXCR4. These findings suggest that chemokine receptor usage determines which cells are targeted for SIV infection and elimination in vivo.

scholarly journals Increased Loss of CCR5+ CD45RA− CD4+ T Cells in CD8+ Lymphocyte-Depleted Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Monkeys

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (11) ◽  
pp. 5618-5630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald S. Veazey ◽  
Paula M. Acierno ◽  
Kimberly J. McEvers ◽  
Susanne H. C. Baumeister ◽  
Gabriel J. Foster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Lymphocyte Depletion ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Siv Infection

ABSTRACT Previously we have shown that CD8+ T cells are critical for containment of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) viremia and that rapid and profound depletion of CD4+ T cells occurs in the intestinal tract of acutely infected macaques. To determine the impact of SIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses on the magnitude of the CD4+ T-cell depletion, we investigated the effect of CD8+ lymphocyte depletion during primary SIV infection on CD4+ T-cell subsets and function in peripheral blood, lymph nodes, and intestinal tissues. In peripheral blood, CD8+ lymphocyte-depletion changed the dynamics of CD4+ T-cell loss, resulting in a more pronounced loss 2 weeks after infection, followed by a temporal rebound approximately 2 months after infection, when absolute numbers of CD4+ T cells were restored to baseline levels. These CD4+ T cells showed a markedly skewed phenotype, however, as there were decreased levels of memory cells in CD8+ lymphocyte-depleted macaques compared to controls. In intestinal tissues and lymph nodes, we observed a significantly higher loss of CCR5+ CD45RA− CD4+ T cells in CD8+ lymphocyte-depleted macaques than in controls, suggesting that these SIV-targeted CD4+ T cells were eliminated more efficiently in CD8+ lymphocyte-depleted animals. Also, CD8+ lymphocyte depletion significantly affected the ability to generate SIV Gag-specific CD4+ T-cell responses and neutralizing antibodies. These results reemphasize that SIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses are absolutely critical to initiate at least partial control of SIV infection.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Simian Immunodeficiency Virus RNA Levels and the mRNA Levels of Alpha/Beta Interferons (IFN-α/β) and IFN-α/β-Inducible Mx in Lymphoid Tissues of Rhesus Macaques during Acute and Chronic Infection

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (16) ◽  
pp. 8433-8445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Abel ◽  
Michelle J. Alegria-Hartman ◽  
Kristina Rothaeusler ◽  
Marta Marthas ◽  
Christopher J. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Virus Replication ◽  
Acute Phase ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Lymphoid Tissues ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Siv Infection ◽  
Alpha Beta ◽  
Rna Levels

ABSTRACT To define the role of alpha/beta interferons (IFN-α/β) in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection, IFN-α and IFN-β mRNA levels and mRNA levels of Mx, an antiviral effector molecule, were determined in lymphoid tissues of rhesus macaques infected with pathogenic SIV. IFN-α/β responses were induced during the acute phase and persisted in various lymphoid tissues throughout the chronic phase of infection. IFN-α/β responses were most consistent in tissues with high viral RNA levels; thus, IFN-α/β responses were not generally associated with effective control of SIV replication. IFN-α/β responses were differentially regulated in different lymphoid tissues and at different stages of infection. The most consistent IFN-α/β responses in acute and chronic SIV infection were observed in peripheral lymph nodes. In the spleen, only a transient increase in IFN-α/β mRNA levels during acute SIV infection was observed. Further, IFN-α and IFN-β mRNA levels showed a tissue-specific expression pattern during the chronic, but not the acute, phase of infection. In the acute phase of infection, SIV RNA levels in lymphoid tissues of rhesus macaques correlated with mRNA levels of both IFN-α and IFN-β, whereas during chronic SIV infection only increased IFN-α mRNA levels correlated with the level of virus replication in the same tissues. In lymphoid tissues of all SIV-infected monkeys, higher viral RNA levels were associated with increased Mx mRNA levels. We found no evidence that monkeys with increased Mx mRNA levels in lymphoid tissues had enhanced control of virus replication. In fact, Mx mRNA levels were associated with high viral RNA levels in lymphoid tissues of chronically infected animals.

scholarly journals With Minimal Systemic T-Cell Expansion, CD8+ T Cells Mediate Protection of Rhesus Macaques Immunized with Attenuated Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus SHIV89.6 from Vaginal Challenge with Simian Immunodeficiency Virus

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (22) ◽  
pp. 11181-11196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meritxell Genescà ◽  
Pamela J. Skinner ◽  
Jung Joo Hong ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Ding Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Lymphoid Tissues ◽  
Vaginal Mucosa ◽  
Challenge Virus ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

ABSTRACT The presence, at the time of challenge, of antiviral effector T cells in the vaginal mucosa of female rhesus macaques immunized with live-attenuated simian-human immunodeficiency virus 89.6 (SHIV89.6) is associated with consistent and reproducible protection from pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) vaginal challenge (18). Here, we definitively demonstrate the protective role of the SIV-specific CD8+ T-cell response in SHIV-immunized monkeys by CD8+ lymphocyte depletion, an intervention that abrogated SHIV-mediated control of challenge virus replication and largely eliminated the SIV-specific T-cell responses in blood, lymph nodes, and genital mucosa. While in the T-cell-intact SHIV-immunized animals, polyfunctional and degranulating SIV-specific CD8+ T cells were present in the genital tract and lymphoid tissues from the day of challenge until day 14 postchallenge, strikingly, expansion of SIV-specific CD8+ T cells in the immunized monkeys was minimal and limited to the vagina. Thus, protection from uncontrolled SIV replication in animals immunized with attenuated SHIV89.6 is primarily mediated by CD8+ T cells that do not undergo dramatic systemic expansion after SIV challenge. These findings demonstrate that despite, and perhaps because of, minimal systemic expansion of T cells at the time of challenge, a stable population of effector-cytotoxic CD8+ T cells can provide significant protection from vaginal SIV challenge.

scholarly journals Normal T-Cell Turnover in Sooty Mangabeys Harboring Active Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 1209-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Chakrabarti ◽  
Sharon R. Lewin ◽  
Linqi Zhang ◽  
Agegnehu Gettie ◽  
Amara Luckay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
T Cell Proliferation ◽  
Cell Turnover ◽  
Ki 67 ◽  
Monkey Species ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Sooty Mangabeys ◽  
Siv Infection

ABSTRACT Sooty mangabeys naturally infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) remain healthy though they harbor viral loads comparable to those in rhesus macaques that progress to AIDS. To assess the immunologic basis of disease resistance in mangabeys, we compared the effect of SIV infection on T-cell regeneration in both monkey species. Measurement of the proliferation marker Ki-67 by flow cytometry showed that mangabeys harbored proliferating T cells at a level of 3 to 4% in peripheral blood irrespective of their infection status. In contrast, rhesus macaques demonstrated a naturally high fraction of proliferating T cells (7%) that increased two- to threefold following SIV infection. Ki-67+ T cells were predominantly CD45RA−, indicating increased proliferation of memory cells in macaques. Quantitation of an episomal DNA product of T-cell receptor α rearrangement (termed α1 circle) showed that the concentration of recent thymic emigrants in blood decreased with age over a 2-log unit range in both monkey species, consistent with age-related thymic involution. SIV infection caused a limited decrease of α1 circle numbers in mangabeys as well as in macaques. Dilution of α1 circles by T-cell proliferation likely contributed to this decrease, since α1 circle numbers and Ki-67+ fractions correlated negatively. These findings are compatible with immune exhaustion mediated by abnormal T-cell proliferation, rather than with early thymic failure, in SIV-infected macaques. Normal T-cell turnover in SIV-infected mangabeys provides an explanation for the long-term maintenance of a functional immune system in these hosts.

scholarly journals CD8+ T Cell Recognition of Cryptic Epitopes Is a Ubiquitous Feature of AIDS Virus Infection

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (21) ◽  
pp. 11569-11574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Maness ◽  
Andrew D. Walsh ◽  
Shari M. Piaskowski ◽  
Jessica Furlott ◽  
Holly L. Kolar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Chronic Phase ◽  
T Cell Epitopes ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Aids Virus ◽  
Aids Vaccines ◽  
Siv Infection ◽  
Cryptic Epitopes

ABSTRACT Vaccines designed to elicit AIDS virus-specific CD8+ T cells should engender broad responses. Emerging data indicate that alternate reading frames (ARFs) of both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) encode CD8+ T cell epitopes, termed cryptic epitopes. Here, we show that SIV-specific CD8+ T cells from SIV-infected rhesus macaques target 14 epitopes in eight ARFs during SIV infection. Animals recognized up to five epitopes, totaling nearly one-quarter of the anti-SIV responses. The epitopes were targeted by high-frequency responses as early as 2 weeks postinfection and in the chronic phase. Hence, previously overlooked ARF-encoded epitopes could be important components of AIDS vaccines.

scholarly journals Simian immunodeficiency virus selectively infects proliferating CD4+ T cells in neonatal rhesus macaques

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (20) ◽  
pp. 4168-4174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Wang ◽  
Huanbin Xu ◽  
Bapi Pahar ◽  
Xavier Alvarez ◽  
Linda C. Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Cd4 T Cell ◽  
T Cell Proliferation ◽  
Lymphoid Tissues ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract Infants infected with HIV have a more severe course of disease and persistently higher viral loads than HIV-infected adults. However, the underlying pathogenesis of this exacerbation remains obscure. Here we compared the rate of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell proliferation in intestinal and systemic lymphoid tissues of neonatal and adult rhesus macaques, and of normal and age-matched simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)–infected neonates. The results demonstrate infant primates have much greater rates of CD4+ T-cell proliferation than adult macaques, and that these proliferating, recently “activated” CD4+ T cells are infected in intestinal and other lymphoid tissues of neonates, resulting in selective depletion of proliferating CD4+ T cells in acute infection. This depletion is accompanied by a marked increase in CD8+ T-cell activation and production, particularly in the intestinal tract. The data indicate intestinal CD4+ T cells of infant primates have a markedly accelerated rate of proliferation and maturation resulting in more rapid and sustained production of optimal target cells (activated memory CD4+ T cells), which may explain the sustained “peak” viremia characteristic of pediatric HIV infection. Eventual failure of CD4+ T-cell turnover in intestinal tissues may indicate a poorer prognosis for HIV-infected infants.

scholarly journals Perturbations of Cell Cycle Control in T Cells Contribute to the Different Outcomes of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Rhesus Macaques and Sooty Mangabeys

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 634-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Paiardini ◽  
B. Cervasi ◽  
B. Sumpter ◽  
H. M. McClure ◽  
D. L. Sodora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Cell Cycle Control ◽  
Cyclin B ◽  
T Cell Apoptosis ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Sooty Mangabeys ◽  
Siv Infection

ABSTRACT In contrast to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of humans and experimental simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques (RMs), SIV infection of sooty mangabeys (SMs), a natural host African monkey species, is typically nonpathogenic and associated with preservation of CD4+ T-cell counts despite chronic high levels of viral replication. In previous studies, we have shown that the lack of SIV disease progression in SMs is related to lower levels of immune activation and bystander T-cell apoptosis compared to those of pathogenic HIV/SIV infection (G. Silvestri, D. Sodora, R. Koup, M. Paiardini, S. O’Neil, H. M. McClure, S. I. Staprans, and M. B. Feinberg, Immunity 18:441-452, 2003; G. Silvestri, A. Fedanov, S. Germon, N. Kozyr, W. J. Kaiser, D. A. Garber, H. M. McClure, M. B. Feinberg, and S. I. Staprans, J. Virol. 79:4043-4054, 2005). In HIV-infected patients, increased T-cell susceptibility to apoptosis is associated with a complex cell cycle dysregulation (CCD) that involves increased activation of the cyclin B/p34-cdc2 complex and abnormal nucleolar structure with dysregulation of nucleolin turnover. Here we report that CCD is also present during pathogenic SIV infection of RMs, and its extent correlates with the level of immune activation and T-cell apoptosis. In marked contrast, naturally SIV-infected SMs show normal regulation of cell cycle control (i.e., normal intracellular levels of cyclin B and preserved nucleolin turnover) and a low propensity to apoptosis in both peripheral blood- and lymph node-derived T cells. The absence of significant CCD in the AIDS-free, non-immune-activated SMs despite high levels of viral replication indicates that CCD is a marker of disease progression during lentiviral infection and supports the hypothesis that the preservation of cell cycle control may help to confer the disease-resistant phenotype of SIV-infected SMs.

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