Tetherin Upregulation in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaques

Andrew R. Rahmberg; William J. Neidermyer; Matthew W. Breed; Xavier Alvarez; Cecily C. Midkiff; Michael Piatak; Jeffrey D. Lifson; David T. Evans

doi:10.1128/JVI.01757-13

Tetherin Upregulation in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaques

Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, New England Primate Research Center, Southborough, Massachusetts, USA^a
Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, USA^b
SAIC—Frederick, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, USA^c

ABSTRACT

Here we show that simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques results in rapid upregulation of tetherin (BST-2 or CD317) on peripheral blood lymphocytes, including the CD4⁺ CCR5⁺ T cell targets of virus infection, with a peak of induction that coincides with peak alpha interferon (IFN-α) levels in plasma, and that tetherin remains above baseline levels throughout chronic infection. These observations are consistent with a role for tetherin in innate immunity to immunodeficiency virus infection.

FOOTNOTES

Received 1 July 2013.
Accepted 2 October 2013.

Address correspondence to David T. Evans, david_evans{at}hms.harvard.edu.
↵* Present address: David T. Evans, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Published ahead of print 9 October 2013