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Kinetics of T lymphocyte apoptosis and the cellular immune response in SIVmac239‐infected rhesus macaques
Author(s) -
Meythaler Mareike,
Pryputniewicz Sarah,
Kaur Amitinder
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of medical primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1600-0684
pISSN - 0047-2565
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0684.2008.00323.x
Subject(s) - apoptosis , immune system , cd8 , biology , immunology , lymphocyte , t lymphocyte , simian immunodeficiency virus , lymph node , virology , genetics
Background Although increased apoptosis is a central feature of AIDS, little is known about its kinetics or relationship to the early host response in acute HIV/SIV infection. Methods Ex vivo apoptosis in freshly isolated peripheral blood and lymph node lymphocytes was monitored longitudinally in SIVmac239‐infected rhesus macaques by flow‐cytometric detection of active caspase‐3, cleaved poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase, and fragmented DNA. Results Increased apoptosis of multiple lymphocyte subsets was observed in the first 2 weeks following SIV infection. Apoptosis of CD4+ T lymphocytes was of low magnitude but peaked earlier than other T lymphocyte subsets. A 10‐ to 36‐fold increase in CD8+ T lymphocyte apoptosis coincided temporally with onset of the SIV‐specific cellular immune response and enrichment of caspase‐3‐positive cells within recently proliferating, activated CD8+ T lymphocytes. Conclusions The virus‐specific T lymphocyte response to primary infection and generalized non‐specific immune activation contribute to the pathogenesis of apoptosis in acute SIV infection.