Correlation of central memory CD4(+) T-Cell decrease in the peripheral blood with disease progression in SIVmac251-infected Chinese rhesus macaques
BACKGROUND: Correlation of CD4(+) Tcm cells in the peripheral blood to disease progression in SIVmac251 infection was examined in Chinese rhesus macaques.
METHODS: Plasma viral RNA loads were measured by a quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay for SIV gag. Disease progression was determined based on time of survival. Phenotyping of CD4(+) T-cell subsets in the peripheral blood was longitudinally performed by flow cytometry.
RESULTS: Although CD4(+) T-cell decrease and low CD4(+)/CD8(+) T-cell ratio in the peripheral blood after SIVmac251 infection did not correlate with disease progression, CD4(+) Tcm cell decrease was observed to be correlated to disease progression in the SIVmac251-infected Chinese rhesus macaques.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that CD4(+) Tcm cell decrease could be used as a predictive marker for defining the pathogenesis of the SIV disease and consequently HIV/SIV vaccine efficacy in Chinese rhesus macaques.
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