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Journal of Virology, December 1998, p. 9436-9440, Vol. 72, No. 12
Department of Microbiology, Pathology, and Parasitology,
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
27606,1 and
Department of Medicine and
Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of
California, Davis, California 956162
Received 27 May 1998/Accepted 20 August 1998
Type 1 and 2 cytokine mRNA responses were measured at various time
periods and in various lymphoid compartments during the acute stage
(first 4 months) of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection
in laboratory cats. Cytokine responses were correlated with
virus replication. Virus was detected in plasma and tissue from day 14 postinfection (p.i.) onward, peaked at 56 to 70 days, and
declined greatly by 70 days. Virus replication was highest in the
thymus, followed by spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and cervical lymph
nodes. Baseline cytokine levels were highest in the mesenteric lymph
nodes and lowest in the cervical lymph nodes. Cytokine upregulation
after FIV infection was most dramatic in the cervical lymph nodes, with
the greatest increase in interleukin-10 (IL-10) and
gamma interferon (IFN-
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Cytokine Response in Multiple Lymphoid Tissues during the Primary
Phase of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
). Cytokine transcription in the mesenteric
lymph node increased above baseline by day 14 p.i. for
IFN-
, IL-12p40, IL-4, and IL-10, while elevations in the spleen were
mainly for IFN-
, IL-12p40 and IL-10. An increase in IFN-
, IL-10,
and IL-12p40 occurred in the thymus at day 56 p.i., concomitant
with the onset of thymitis. In general, type 2 cytokines (IL-4 and
IL-10) were increased greater than 1 log over baseline, while the
elevations in type 1 cytokines were less than 1 log. In
the tissues tested, CD4+ cells were the primary
source of IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10. Both CD4+ and
CD8+ cells produced IFN-
, while no cytokine mRNA was
detected in B cells. These results demonstrate the presence of a
heterogeneous cytokine response in lymphoid tissues during the
primary stage of FIV infection. The nature and intensity of
the response differed from one compartment to the other and, in the
case of the thymus, also with inflammatory changes. Although
limited in scope, the present study confirms the usefulness of the FIV
infection model in studying early cytokine events that lead to the
secondary subclinical carrier state typical of most
lentivirus infections.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Gregg A. Dean,
Department of Microbiology, Pathology, and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
27606. Phone: (919) 829-4488. Fax: (919) 829-4455. E-mail: Gregg_Dean{at}ncsu.edu.
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