Pertussis toxin from the gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis is an ADP-ribosylase that modifies G¡ proteins in mammalian lymphocytes and inhibits their capacity to traffic from blood into lymphoid tissues. We used this compound to induce lymphocytosis in rhesus macaques and to study its effects on SI V infection. Pertussis toxin injected at 25 /¿g/kg induced a transient lymphocytosis that peaked 3-8 days after administration and caused a rapid, transient decrease in the frequency of infectious cells in blood as judged by in vitro virus isolation assays. Lymphocyte subsets were altered during the lymphocytosis interval and sustained changes in CD8+ T cell levels were noted as long as 53 days after pertussis toxin injection. In situ hybridization studies showed that pertussis toxin altered the distribution of viral RNA in lymph nodes during the interval of lymphocytosis, and caused long-term changes with decreased virus replication in some tissue specimens.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.