SummaryChanges in T cell receptor (TCR) V/3 repertoire and their correlation with virologic events were investigated in rhesus monkeys after acute infection with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). 11 genetically defined rhesus monkeys were experimentally infected with SIVm~ or a chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), and their peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and lymph nodes were prospectively assessed for TCR V~ gene expression. PBL and lymph nodes of the acutely infected monkeys demonstrated an expansion of selected V~-expressing T lymphocyte subpopulations as early as 3 d after infection. These expanded V/~-expressing lymphocyte subpopulations were comprised predominantly of CD8+ cells. Six of seven infected monkeys sharing a single electrophoreticaUy defined major histocompatibility complex class I allele exhibited a similar expansion of VB14-expressing PBL. Sequence analyses of V-D-J segments of TCR-fl cDNA indicated that the VB-expressing T cell subpopulation expansion can be oligoclonal. SIVm,c-specific CDS+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes were demonstrated in both PBL and lymph nodes of the infected monkeys at the time expansion of the selected V3-expressing cell subpopulations was seen. Finally, the expansion of the selected V3-expressing lymphocytes in PBL coincided with the emergence and clearance of SIV p27 from the plasma of the infected monkeys. These results demonstrate that acute infection of rhesus monkeys with SIVm~ or SHIV results in an expansion of CD8 + lymphocyte subpopulations expressing selected V3 gene families. The selectively expanded T lymphocytes may contribute to early viral clearance after acute SIVmac or SHIV infection.

As diagnostic techniques have advanced, primary aldosteronism (PA) has emerged as the most common cause of secondary hypertension. The excess of aldosterone caused by PA resulted in not only cardiovascular complications, including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and heart failure, but also cerebrovascular complications, such as stroke and transient ischemic attack. Moreover, PA is associated more closely with these conditions than is essential hypertension. In this review, we present up-to-date findings on the association between PA and cerebrovascular diseases.

Furthermore, the ex of the same lymphocyte subpopulations was also detected in peripheral blood lymphocytes and lymph node cells ofvirus-infected macaques. These observations suggest that SIVsmmPBjl4-mediated Vp expnon may contribute to the induction ofan acutely lethal disease in macaques.

Soluble CD4 (sCD4), anti-CD4 antibody, and anti-gp120 antibody have long been regarded as entry inhibitors in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) therapy. However, the interactions between these HIV entry inhibitors and corresponding target molecules are still poorly understood. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was utilized to investigate the interaction forces among them. We found that the unbinding forces of sCD4-gp120 interaction, CD4 antigen-antibody interaction, and gp120 antigen-antibody interaction were 25.45 ± 20.46 pN, 51.22 ± 34.64 pN, and 89.87 ± 44.63 pN, respectively, which may provide important mechanical information for understanding the effects of viral entry inhibitors on HIV infection. Moreover, we found that the functionalization of an interaction pair on AFM tip or substrate significantly influenced the results, implying that we must perform AFM force measurement and analyze the data with more caution.