Transmission and Immunopathogenesis of FIV in Cats as a Model for HIV

Abstract

The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) model provides a system to study lentivirus transmission, virus kinetics, pathogenesis, host responses, and immune dysfunction in a natural, out-bred host, under controlled conditions with specific-pathogen-free animals. The diversity of primary FIV strains can be exploited to mirror the range of disease manifestations associated with HIV infection. FIV is infectious via intravenous, intraperitoneal, intradermal, or subcutaneous injection as well as by atraumatic instillation onto the oral, vaginal, or rectal mucosa. Together, these features allow investigators to model specific aspects of HIV infection in a highly relevant and relatively inexpensive animal model. Well-developed areas of the FIV model include: (1) transmission of cell-associated as well as cell-free virus; (2) mucosal infectivity and immunopathogenesis; (3) vertical transmission; (4) acquired immunodeficiency including defects of the innate immune system; (5) thymic dysfunction; (6) neurotropism and neuropathogenesis; (7) host-virus interactions and the role of specific gene products; (8) efficacy of antiviral therapy; and (9) efficacy and immune correlates of experimental vaccines. This review will encompass areas specific to transmission and immunopathogenesis.

Molecular Characterization of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Budding

“…Approximately 10% of all domestic cats worldwide are infected with FIV (12), and its pathogenesis is similar to that observed for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in humans (10,29,46,76). The potential use of cats as a model host for infectious diseases, such as feline leukemia virus and FIV, stimulated a complete genome sequencing project for Felis catus; the results were recently submitted to GenBank (National Center for Biotechnology Information).…”

Sensitivity and Specificity of a Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detection of Lentivirus Infection in Lions (Panthera leo)

“…32 Infection with lentivirus has also been detected in several nondomestic feline species, including African lion (Panthera leo) populations in eastern and southern Africa. 6,7,26,27,33 In these populations, the lentivirus has been referred to as FIVple. Feline lentivirus infection leads to immunologic dysfunction and immunosuppressive disease in domestic cats.…”

Vaccination of Cats with Attenuated Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Proviral DNA Vaccine Expressing Gamma Interferon

“…Similarities between the progressive immunodeficiency syndromes described for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in domestic cats and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in humans have validated the use of the FIV animal model for testing anti-HIV vaccine strategies (6,9). The FIV model system has been utilized to test vaccine strategies with various degrees of success, depending on the type of immunogen and viral challenge involved.…”