Unique Pathology in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rapid Progressor Macaques Is Consistent with a Pathogenesis Distinct from That of Classical AIDS

Although there is increasing evidence that individuals already infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can be infected with a heterologous strain of the virus, the extent of protection against superinfection conferred by the first infection and the biologic consequences of superinfection are not well understood. We explored these questions in the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/rhesus monkey model of HIV-1/AIDS. We infected cohorts of rhesus monkeys with either SIVmac251 or SIVsmE660 and then exposed animals to the reciprocal virus through intrarectal inoculations. Employing a quantitative real-time PCR assay, we determined the replication kinetics of the two strains of virus for 20 weeks. We found that primary infection with a replication-competent virus did not protect against acquisition of infection by a heterologous virus but did confer relative control of the superinfecting virus. In animals that became superinfected, there was a reduction in peak replication and rapid control of the second virus. The relative susceptibility to superinfection was not correlated with CD4 ؉ T-cell count, CD4 ؉ memory T-cell subsets, cytokine production by virus-specific CD8 ؉ or CD4 ؉ cells, or neutralizing antibodies at the time of exposure to the second virus. Although there were transient increases in viral loads of the primary virus and a modest decline in CD4؉ T-cell counts after superinfection, there was no evidence of disease acceleration. These findings indicate that an immunodeficiency virus infection confers partial protection against a second immunodeficiency virus infection, but this protection may be mediated by mechanisms other than classical adaptive immune responses.Superinfection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the infection of an HIV-seropositive individual with a second heterologous strain of the virus after infection with the first infecting strain is established. There is accruing evidence for HIV-1 intra-and intersubtype superinfection in settings of intravenous drug use, structured treatment interruptions, and with strains that are resistant to antiretroviral drugs (2,4,6,22,26,28,32,39,42,43,52,60,66). Epidemiologic studies have suggested that the frequency of superinfection ranges from rare to as high as 5% per year in high-risk populations (9,10,15,20,24,27,31,40,41,51,59,65,67). However, it remains unclear how readily superinfections occur after exposure of an infected individual to a heterologous strain of virus. Furthermore, the variables that may contribute to susceptibility or resistance to superinfection, such as the timing of exposure to a second virus or the immunologic status of the exposed individual, have not been well defined. It is also uncertain whether superinfection is invariably associated with the loss of HIV containment and clinical deterioration (8,17,21,23,26,27,30,60). Understanding the risks for and the biological consequences of HIV superinfection will not only clarify an important clinical problem, it may also provide important insig...

Section: Sivmac251 and Sivsme660 Differ By Typical Intraclade Hiv-1 Dmentioning

confidence: 91%

Partial Protection of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)-Infected Rhesus Monkeys against Superinfection with a Heterologous SIV Isolate

Yeh

Jaru-Ampornpan

Nevidomskyte

et al. 2009

“…Approximately 20% of rhesus monkeys infected with SIVmac/SIVsm lineage viruses become RPs, experiencing persistently high virus set points, rapid and complete losses of memory CD4 ϩ T cells, undetectable or transient antiviral antibody responses, and early onset (3 to 6 months p.i.) of symptomatic disease (6). Despite losing virtually all of their memory CD4 ϩ T lymphocytes, SIV RPs, at the time of death, usually maintain preinoculation levels of naïve CD4 ϩ T cells (35).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Generation of the Pathogenic R5-Tropic Simian/Human Immunodeficiency Virus SHIV _AD8 by Serial Passaging in Rhesus Macaques

Nishimura

Shingai

Willey

et al. 2010

Self Cite

102

A new pathogenic R5-tropic simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) was generated following serial passaging in rhesus macaques. All 13 animals inoculated with SHIV AD8 passaged lineages experienced marked depletions of CD4 ؉ T cells. Ten of these infected monkeys became normal progressors (NPs) and had gradual losses of both memory and naïve CD4 ؉ T lymphocytes, generated antiviral CD4 ؉ and CD8 ؉ T cell responses, and sustained chronic immune activation while maintaining variable levels of plasma viremia (10 2 to 10 5 RNA copies/ml for up to 3 years postinfection [p.

“…Characterization of infected cells in genital tissues was performed using ISH combined with immunostaining for cell markers, as described before (54,59). Briefly, sections were treated with methanol-hydrogen peroxide, and the hybridized tissues were incubated with sheep antidigoxigenin peroxidase (SAD-POD; Roche Molecular Biochemicals) for 1 h at room temperature.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus in Semen, Urethra, and Male Reproductive Organs during Efficient Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Matusali

Dereuddre-Bosquet

Tortorec

et al. 2015

A number of men receiving prolonged suppressive highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) still shed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in semen. To investigate whether this seminal shedding may be due to poor drug penetration and/or viral production by long-lived cells within male genital tissues, we analyzed semen and reproductive tissues from macaques chronically infected with simian immunodeficiency virus mac251 (SIVmac251) who were treated for 4 months with HAART, which was intensified over the last 7 weeks with an integrase inhibitor. We showed that a subset of treated animals continued shedding SIV in semen despite efficient HAART. This shedding was not associated with low antiretroviral drug concentrations in semen or in testis, epididymis, seminal vesicles, and prostate. HAART had no significant impact on SIV RNA in the urethra, whereas it drastically reduced SIV RNA levels in the prostate and vas deferens and to a lesser extent in the epididymis and seminal vesicle. The only detectable SIV RNA-positive cells within the male genital tract after HAART were urethral macrophages. SIV DNA levels in genital tissues were not decreased by HAART, suggesting the presence throughout the male genital tract of nonproductively infected cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that 4 months of HAART induced variable and limited control of viral infection in the male reproductive organs, particularly in the urethra, and suggest that infected long-lived cells in the male genital tract may be involved in persistent seminal shedding during HAART. These results pave the way for further investigations of male genital organ infection in long-term-treated infected individuals. IMPORTANCEA substantial subset of men receiving prolonged HAART suppressing viral loads in the blood still harbor HIV in semen, and cases of sexual transmission have been reported. To understand the origin of this persistence, we analyzed the semen and male reproductive tissues from SIV-infected macaques treated with HAART. We demonstrated that persistent seminal shedding was not linked to poor drug penetration in semen or semen-producing prostate, seminal vesicle, epididymis, and testis. We revealed that HAART decreased SIV RNA to various extents in all male genital organs, with the exception of the urethra, in which SIV RNA ؉ macrophages were observed despite HAART. Importantly, HAART did not impact SIV DNA levels in the male genital organs. These results suggest that infection of male genital organs, and particularly the urethra, could be involved in the release of virus in semen during HAART.A pproximately 35.3 million people worldwide are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS, and 2.3 million new infections occur annually (1). Over 80% of these new infections are caused by unprotected sexual intercourse. The risk of sexual transmission of HIV is strongly correlated with HIV RNA levels in genital secretions (2). Because semen is the most common vector of HIV dissemination worldwide (3-5), preventing HIV transmission by...