平顶猴在HIV/AIDS动物模型中的应用及研究进展

非人灵长类动物模型在HIV-1致病机制研究以及抗AIDS药物和疫苗研发中具有重要作用。由于缺乏HIV-1直接感染的动物,SIV/SHIV猕猴模型是目前AIDS研究中应用最为广泛的动物模型。虽然SIV/SHIV猕猴模型与人AIDS具有一定的相似性,但SIV/SHIV与HIV-1间的遗传差异较大,致使SIV/SHIV猕猴模型存在很多局限性。创建合适的非人灵长类动物模型仍然是HIV/AIDS研究中的热点和难点。平顶猴是目前唯一可以被HIV-1感染的旧大陆猴,在HIV-1静脉传播和性传播模型研究中具有许多优势。该文综述了SIV、HIV、SHIV和HSIV通过静脉和黏膜途径感染平顶猴的特征,并简要介绍了病毒在平顶猴细胞中复制的分子机制以及建立平顶猴AIDS模型的限制因素和前景。     

猴D型逆转录病毒和猴艾滋病

1983年在加里福利亚和新英格兰灵长类研究中心先后发现了与人艾滋病的表现相似的猴艾滋病(Smian AIDS,SAIDS)(Letvin et al.,1983;Henrickson et al.,1983)。引起SAIDS的病原体有猴艾滋病D型逆转病毒(Simian AIDS Type D)Retrovirus,SRV)和猴免疫缺陷病毒(Simian Immunodefiency Virus,SIV)。由     

表现神经症状的SIVmac251感染猴大脑基底节病毒gp120序列变异分析

目的 研究猴免疫缺陷病毒SIVmac251在中国恒河猴感染传代过程中产生的可能的神经侵袭性和神经嗜性及其分子机制.方法 从静脉感染SIVmac251-155p6N的8只实验猴中出现严重神经症状的1只猴中,监测病毒及免疫指标变化,观察临床症状、猴脑组织病变,单拷贝PCR扩增病毒gp120序列并分析变异及糖基化位点变化情况.结果 感染猴晚期出现明显艾滋病脑病症状,病理切片显示脑组织出现多核巨细胞及神经元变性、坏死.脑基底节分离出单一序列病毒,其氨基酸序列与血浆病毒及感染毒株SlVmac251-155p6序列差异主要位于Gp120的V1和V4区,并且在C1区66位出现一个糖基化位点缺失.结论 SIVmac251在猴体长期传代过程中表现出神经嗜性毒株的特征,对AIDS脑病研究具有重要意义.     

猴免疫缺陷病毒抗体免疫梳检测方法的建立及应用

目的以基因工程技术制备猴免疫缺陷病毒(SIV)的SIV30蛋白作为抗原诊断试剂,建立免疫梳方法(IC)用于特异性检测实验猴血清中抗SIV的抗体Ig G。方法应用原核表达载体p GEX-4T-1构建SIV SIV30基因的重组表达质粒,并在感受态细胞BL21中表达,将该重组蛋白纯化后作为诊断抗原,建立免疫梳标准化检测程序,并应用于临床检测。结果最佳抗原包被量为0.02 mg/m L;制备好的IC均能够特异性检测到相应的SIV阳性血清而不与其他病毒血清间发生交叉反应,表明该检测方法特异性强;敏感性分析结果表明,SIV30蛋白能够敏感地检测到1∶400倍稀释的SIV阳性血清;稳定性和重复性试验结果表明,同一样品重复检测3次,变异系数(CV)均小于10%;利用该检测方法在对10份可疑猴血清样品进行检测,IC与ELISA检测结果一致率为100.0%,Kappa=1.000。结论原核表达了SIV30蛋白,制备了IC,并应用于临床检测。该检测方法灵敏度高、特异性强、重复性好,具有良好的实用性。     

阿片类物质对猴免疫缺陷病毒感染的CEM×174细胞内p53合成的调节作用(英文)

已经证明阿片类物质如吗啡能够刺激猴免疫缺陷病毒 ( SIV)的复制 ,并最终加速细胞死亡 ,但是其机理却研究很少 .为探讨吗啡和甲硫氨酸脑啡肽对细胞内 p53合成的作用 ,用 SIV感染CEM× 1 74细胞 ,同时分析 SIV感染时病理过程的机理 .在 CEM× 1 74细胞感染 SIV后不同时间 ,p53含量逐渐增加 ,但 1 0 -7mol/L的吗啡仅在起始阶段对其有促进作用 .在 SIV感染组加入吗啡或甲硫氨酸脑啡肽进行时间曲线实验时 ,p53含量较低 .加入 1 0 -8～ 1 0 -6mol/L吗啡 8h,正常细胞 p53含量仅有轻微改变 .但在 SIV感染情况下 ,则呈现剂量依赖性的大量增加 .相反 ,1 0 -8- 1 0 -6mol/L甲硫氨酸脑啡肽在 8h时能增加正常细胞 p53合成达 60 % .在 SIV感染时 ,SIV本身能够促进 p53的含量 .尽管各组 p53仍然高于对照组 ,但甲硫氨酸脑啡肽对其不再起作用 .结果提示甲硫氨酸脑啡肽对正常细胞 p53含量有明显影响 ,而吗啡 8h增加 SIV感染细胞的 p53含量可能是其加速爱滋病病理过程的机理之一 .     

中国恒河猴Mamu-A*01基因筛查及其对抗原肽p11C的特异性CTL反应

目的 筛查中国恒河猴Mamu-A*01基因,比较中国恒河猴和印度恒河猴的Mamu-A*01基因序列和功能是否相同.方法 PCR方法检测128只中国恒河猴,用特异性引物扩增Mamu-A*01基因,将PCR扩增后的产物克隆测序后与印度恒河猴的Mamu-A*01基因进行同源比对;酶联免疫斑点检测 (ELISPOT) 方法分别检测5只Mamu-A*01基因阳性和5只阴性恒河猴针对SIV、SHIV抗原肽p11C的特异性CTL反应.结果 共筛查出5 只Mamu-A*01基因阳性恒河猴 (3.91%),经测序分析后与印度恒河猴的同源性可达99.1 %.这5只均为SIV/SHIV感染恒河猴,其中四只SIV感染的猴的ELISPOT结果显示针对p11C的高频CTL反应,斑点数在500-1400/106 PBMCs之间,而另1只SHIV感染的恒河猴及5只阴性猴没有斑点出现.结论 中国恒河猴含有Mamu-A*01基因,基因频率有区域性差异,中国恒河猴的Mamu-A*01可提呈特异性抗原肽p11C.     

猴免疫缺陷病毒引起多形核嗜中性白细胞凋亡的可能机理

本实验目的是研究猴免疫缺陷病毒(SIV)引起多形核嗜中性白细胞(PMNs)凋亡的机理.实验用PCR技术扩增gag基因,用Western blot法测定p53和bcl-2基因的表达.结果显示PMNs在被SIV感染后随着保温时间的延长存活率下降,在感染后24h可以从PMNs中扩增出gag基因.PMNs中p53基因的的表达在感染后24h增加.同时bcl-2基因的表达在对照组和SIV感染组都增加,但在SIV感染组bcl-2蛋白的表达明显低于对照组.结果揭示SⅣ能够感染PMNs,p53和bcl-2基因表达的改变可能是SⅣ感染PMNs引起细胞凋亡的机理.     

猴免疫缺陷病毒引起多形核嗜中性白细胞凋亡的可能机理（英文）

本实验目的是研究猴免疫缺陷病毒(SIV)引起多形核嗜中性白细胞(PMNs)凋亡的机理.实验用PCR技术扩增gag基因,用Western blot法测定p53和bcl-2基因的表达.结果显示PMNs在被SIV感染后随着保温时间的延长存活率下降,在感染后24h可以从PMNs中扩增出gag基因.PMNs中p53基因的的表达在感染后24h增加.同时bcl-2基因的表达在对照组和SIV感染组都增加,但在SIV感染组bcl-2蛋白的表达明显低于对照组.结果揭示SⅣ能够感染PMNs,p53和bcl-2基因表达的改变可能是SⅣ感染PMNs引起细胞凋亡的机理.     

猴免疫缺陷病毒（SIV）在艾滋病模型恒河猴组织中的分布和载量测定

目的研究当艾滋病恒河猴模型的血浆病毒载量处于低水平或阴性时,猴免疫缺陷病毒（simian immunodeficiency viruses,SIV）在宿主组织中的分布情况。方法SIVmac251感染恒河猴10只,定期检测其血浆载量,感染病毒平均高峰时间第14天时,活检取淋巴结。选取感染18个月后病毒载量最低水平和阴性的2只艾滋病猴（SAIDS）,经安死术后取淋巴结、脾、肝、肺、肾、脑等组织,用原位杂交和实时荧光定量PCR的方法检测病毒在组织中的分布和组织中的病毒载量。结果感染后14d,10只猴血浆病毒载量达到10^7copies/mL,淋巴结组织病毒载量为10^5-10^8copies/g,原位杂交方法在腹股沟淋巴结中检测到强阳性斑点。感染后第18个月的2只猴,血浆病毒载量下降并维持不高于10^2copies/mL水平或阴性,但组织分布不尽相同,在肠系膜淋巴结、肾上腺、海马回、空肠、脾脏等组织中检测到10^5-10^6copies/g的病毒载量,于一只猴的脑积液中检测到10^3copies/mL的病毒载量。用原位杂交的方法在肠系膜淋巴结和空肠中检测到强阳性斑点,其它组织中未检测到阳性斑点。结论实验证实SAIDS猴在血浆病毒载量低甚至阴性时,病毒在不同组织中仍有分布,有些组织中甚至出现高病毒载量,提示在制备SIV/SAIDS模型中,尤其在药物筛选和疫苗评价时,应考虑组织病毒载量指标的测定和药物、疫苗对组织病毒的治疗清除作用的评价。     

恒河猴Mamu-A^＊01基因与SIV／SHIV感染相关的研究进展

SIV／SHIV感染的恒河猴是研究艾滋病及艾滋病药物筛选、疫苗评价较理想的动物模型。MHC在细胞免疫中起着关键作用,研究表明,MHC-I类分子的多态性与SIV／SHIV感染者的疾病进展有着明显的关联作用,Mamu-A^＊01是恒河猴中的一种MHC-I类分子,它可以呈递特定的病毒蛋白片段到细胞的表面,从而激发CTL反应。国外发现Mamu-A^＊01阳性的猴艾滋病恒河猴会出现疾病进展缓慢,存活时间长等特征。本文就恒河猴Mamu-A^＊01基因与SIV／SHIV感染相关的研究进展做一综述,以期进一步加深对MHC在疫苗研究中的作用的了解,并促进更行之有效地对HIV／AIDS疫苗进行评价。     

Analysis of TCRalphabeta combinations used by simian immunodeficiency virus-specific CD8+ T cells in rhesus monkeys: implications for CTL immunodominance

Immunodominance is a common feature of Ag-specific CTL responses to infection or vaccines. Understanding the basis of immunodominance is crucial to understanding cellular immunity and viral evasion mechanisms and will provide a rational approach for improving HIV vaccine design. This study was performed comparing CTLs specific for the SIV Gag p11C (dominant) and SIV Pol p68A (subdominant) epitopes that are consistently generated in Mamu-A*01(+) rhesus monkeys exposed to SIV proteins. Additionally, vaccinated monkeys were used to prevent any issues of antigenic variation or dynamic changes in CTL responses by continuous Ag exposure. Analysis of the TCR repertoire revealed the usage of higher numbers of TCR clones by the dominant p11C-specific CTL population. Preferential usage of specific TCRs and the in vitro functional TCR-alpha- and -beta-chain-pairing assay suggests that every peptide/MHC complex may only be recognized by a limited number of unique combinations of alpha- and beta-chain pairs. The wider array of TCR clones used by the dominant p11C-specific CTL population might be explained by the higher probability of generating those specific TCR chain pairs. Our data suggest that Ag-specific naive T cell precursor frequency may be predetermined and that this process dictates immunodominance of SIV-specific CD8(+) T cell responses. These findings will aid in understanding immunodominance and designing new approaches to modulate CTL responses.     

Contribution of CD8+ T cells to containment of viral replication and emergence of mutations in Mamu-A*01-restricted epitopes in Simian immunodeficiency virus-infected rhesus monkeys

Here, we investigated the containment of virus replication in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection by CD8(+) lymphocytes. Escape mutations in Mamu-A*01 epitopes appeared first in SIV Tat TL8 and then in SIV Gag p11C. The appearance of escape mutations in SIV Gag p11C was coincident with compensatory changes outside of the epitope. Eliminating CD8(+) lymphocytes from rhesus monkeys during primary infection resulted in more rapid disease progression that was associated with preservation of canonical epitopes. These results confirm the importance of cytotoxic T cells in controlling viremia and the constraint on epitope sequences that require compensatory changes to go to fixation.     

Failure to expand influenza and tetanus toxoid memory T cells in vitro correlates with disease course in SIV infected rhesus macaques

Marked decreases in influenza (flu) and tetanus toxoid (T.T.) antigen specific CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cell memory responses were noted shortly after SIV infection in monkeys that go on to develop clinical disease within 18 months (normal progressor, NP) following SIV infection but not in monkeys that remain asymptomatic >3 years post SIV infection (long-term nonprogressor, LTNP). While PBMCs from NP and LTNP monkeys demonstrate both low and high avidity flu and T.T. specific CD8(+) and CD4(+)T cell immune responses prior to SIV infection, the PBMCs from NP but not LTNP fail to generate high avidity T cell responses post SIV infection. This failure to generate high avidity T cell responses in vitro correlated with increased apoptotic cell death in PBMC cultures from NP animals. Since high avidity antigen specific CTLs have been shown to be most efficient in eliminating viral infections, the present finding has important implications for the evaluation of the level of immune reconstitution following various modalities of therapy in HIV-1 infected patients.     

Immunodomination in the evolution of dominant epitope-specific CD8+ T lymphocyte responses in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected rhesus monkeys

Because the control of HIV-1 replication is largely dependent on CD8+ T lymphocyte responses specific for immunodominant viral epitopes, vaccine strategies that increase the breadth of dominant epitope-specific responses should contribute to containing HIV-1 spread. Developing strategies to elicit such broad immune responses will require an understanding of the mechanisms responsible for focusing CD8+ T lymphocyte recognition on a limited number of epitopes. To explore this biology, we identified cohorts of rhesus monkeys that expressed the MHC class I molecules Mamu-A*01, Mamu-A*02, or both, and assessed the evolution of their dominant epitope-specific CD8+ T lymphocyte responses (Gag p11C- and Tat TL8-specific in the Mamu-A*01+ and Nef p199RY-specific in the Mamu-A*02+ monkeys) following acute SIV infection. The Mamu-A*02+ monkeys that also expressed Mamu-A*01 exhibited a significant delay in the evolution of the CD8+ T lymphocyte responses specific for the dominant Mamu-A*02-restricted SIV epitope, Nef p199RY. This delay in kinetics was not due to differences in viral load kinetics or magnitude or in viral escape mutations, but was associated with the evolution of the Mamu-A*01-restricted CD8+ T lymphocyte responses to the highly dominant SIV epitopes Gag p11C and Tat TL8. Thus, the evolution of dominant epitope-specific CD8+ T lymphocyte responses can be suppressed by other dominant epitope-specific responses, and this immunodomination is important in determining the kinetics of dominant epitope-specific responses.     

Immune stimulation may contribute to enhanced progression of SIV induced disease in rhesus macaques

Abstract: A number of rhesus macaques experimentally infected with SIV isolates such as SIVmac251, fail to seroconvert, develop high plasma viremia and die rapidly (within 6–7 months p.i.). We hypothesized that such rapid progression is a result of a state of hyperimmune activation and concomitant immune suppression of these animals at the time of virus challenge. In efforts to test the hypothesis that immune activation leads to rapid progression of lentivirus-induced disease, adult rhesus macaques were infected with SIVmac251 and received an alternate monthly schedule of repeated immunization with allogeneic cells, keyhole limpet hemocyanin and tetanus toxoid (group I). For purposes of controls, a group of monkeys was infected with the same pool and dose of virus but were not immunized (group II) and a group was immunized with the same schedule of multiple antigens as group I but were not infected with SIV (group III). All the animals in group I (n ? 3) either failed to seroconvert or developed very low levels of SIV antibodies, had high plasma p27 defined antigenemia, and died within 8 months (2/3 died within 4 months). Of the animals in group II (n = 8), two patterns emerged as we had noted before. One subgroup (3 animals), displayed the same profile as group I (failure to fully seroconvert, high p27 levels and death by 8 months), whereas the other subgroup (5 animals) seroconverted, had low plasma p27 levels, and survived past 11 months (2/5 still alive past 22 months). All 3 animals in group III remained healthy. The data provided herein suggest that either experimental or natural (due to factors not clear at present) immune stimulation may lead to accelerated lentivirus induced disease progression most likely due to immune suppression and has implications for the understanding of the mechanisms for the rate of disease progression in human HIV-1 infection.     

Vaccine-induced virus-neutralizing antibodies and cytotoxic T cells do not protect macaques from experimental infection with simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac32H (J5).

To gain further insight into the ability of subunit vaccines to protect monkeys from experimental infection with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), two groups of cynomolgus macaques were immunized with either recombinant SIVmac32H-derived envelope glycoproteins (Env) incorporated into immune-stimulating complexes (iscoms) (group A) or with these SIV Env iscoms in combination with p27gag iscoms and three Nef lipopeptides (group B). Four monkeys immunized with recombinant feline immunodeficiency virus Env iscoms served as controls (group C). Animals were immunized intramuscularly at weeks 0, 4, 10, and 16. Two weeks after the last immunization, monkeys were challenged intravenously with 50 monkey 50% infectious doses of virus derived from the J5 molecular clone of SIVmac32H propagated in monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells. High titers of SIV-neutralizing antibodies were induced in the monkeys of groups A and B. In addition, p27gag-specific antibodies were detected in the monkeys of group B. Vaccine-induced cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte precursors against Env, Gag, and Nef were detected on the day of challenge in the monkeys of group B. Env-specific cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte precursors were detected in one monkey from group A. In spite of the observed antibody and T-cell responses, none of the monkeys was protected from experimental infection. In addition, longitudinal determination of cell-associated virus loads at weeks 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 postchallenge revealed no significant differences between vaccinated and control monkeys. These findings illustrate the need to clarify the roles of the different arms of the immune system in conferring protection against primate lentivirus infections.     

Risk of immunodeficiency virus infection may increase with vaccine-induced immune response

To explore the efficacy of novel complementary prime-boost immunization regimens in a nonhuman primate model for HIV infection, rhesus monkeys primed by different DNA vaccines were boosted with virus-like particles (VLP) and then challenged by repeated low-dose rectal exposure to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Characteristic of the cellular immune response after the VLP booster immunization were high numbers of SIV-specific, gamma interferon-secreting cells after stimulation with inactivated SIV particles, but not SIV peptides, and the absence of detectable levels of CD8(+) T cell responses. Antibodies specific to SIV Gag and SIV Env could be induced in all animals, but, consistent with a poor neutralizing activity at the time of challenge, vaccinated monkeys were not protected from acquisition of infection and did not control viremia. Surprisingly, vaccinees with high numbers of SIV-specific, gamma interferon-secreting cells were infected fastest during the repeated low-dose exposures and the numbers of these immune cells in vaccinated macaques correlated with susceptibility to infection. Thus, in the absence of protective antibodies or cytotoxic T cell responses, vaccine-induced immune responses may increase the susceptibility to acquisition of immunodeficiency virus infection. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that virus-specific T helper cells mediate this detrimental effect and contribute to the inefficacy of past HIV vaccination attempts (e.g., STEP study).     

Potent simian immunodeficiency virus-specific cellular immune responses in the breast milk of simian immunodeficiency virus-infected, lactating rhesus monkeys

Breast milk transmission of HIV is a leading cause of infant HIV/AIDS in the developing world. Remarkably, only a small minority of breastfeeding infants born to HIV-infected mothers contract HIV via breast milk exposure, raising the possibility that immune factors in the breast milk confer protection to the infants who remain uninfected. To model HIV-specific immunity in breast milk, lactation was pharmacologically induced in Mamu-A*01(+) female rhesus monkeys. The composition of lymphocyte subsets in hormone-induced lactation breast milk was found to be similar to that in natural lactation breast milk. Hormone-induced lactating monkeys were inoculated i.v. with SIVmac251 and CD8(+) T lymphocytes specific for two immunodominant SIV epitopes, Gag p11C and Tat TL8, and SIV viral load were monitored in peripheral blood and breast milk during acute infection. The breast milk viral load was 1-2 logs lower than plasma viral load through peak and set point of viremia. Surprisingly, whereas the kinetics of the SIV-specific cellular immunity in breast milk mirrored that of the blood, the peak magnitude of the SIV-specific CD8(+) T lymphocyte response in breast milk was more than twice as high as the cellular immune response in the blood. Furthermore, the appearance of the SIV-specific CD8(+) T lymphocyte response in breast milk was associated with a reduction in breast milk viral load, and this response remained higher than that in the blood after viral set point. This robust viral-specific cellular immune response in breast milk may contribute to control of breast milk virus replication.     

Protective immune responses induced by a non-pathogenic simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) against a challenge of a pathogenic SHIV in monkeys

A simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)-NM3n containing the human nef, but not the monkey nef, and vpr genes of SIV was inoculated into two cynomolgus monkeys, resulting in systemic infection with a minimum level of transient virus load. In order to study the nature of immune responses associated with the prevention of a pathogenic SHIV, the SHIV-NM3n-inoculated monkeys and three naive monkeys were intravenously challenged with a pathogenic SHIV containing the envelope gene of HIV-1 89.6. After the heterologous virus challenge, all of the SHIV-NM3n-inoculated animals completely avoided the loss of CD4+ T lymphocytes in PBMC as well as lymphoid tissues compared to pathogenic SHIV-injected control animals. The inhibition of CD4+ cell depletion was associated with maintaining the proliferative response of helper T-cells against SIV p27 in the previously nonpathogenic virus-inoculated animals following the pathogenic virus challenge. Furthermore, the decline of CD28+ cells, the increase in CD95+ cells, and the enhancement of in vitro apoptosis in PBMC were inhibited in the non-pathogenic virus-inoculated animals. These results suggest that nonpathogenic SHIV-NM3n infection induces the protection of monkeys from heterologous pathogenic viruses that may be associated with blocking the change in immune responses and the cell loss induced by a pathogenic virus.     

Experimental coinfection of rhesus macaques with rhesus cytomegalovirus and simian immunodeficiency virus: pathogenesis

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) possesses low pathogenic potential in an immunocompetent host. In the immunosuppressed host, however, a wide spectrum of infection outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic to life threatening, can follow either primary or nonprimary infection. The variability in the manifestations of HCMV infection in immunosuppressed individuals implies that there is a threshold of host antiviral immunity that can effectively limit disease potential. We used a nonhuman primate model of CMV infection to assess the relationship between CMV disease and the levels of developing anti-CMV immunity. Naive rhesus macaques were inoculated with rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) followed 2 or 11 weeks later by inoculation with pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239. Two of four monkeys inoculated with SIV at 2 weeks after inoculation with RhCMV died within 11 weeks with simian AIDS (SAIDS), including activated RhCMV infection. Neither animal had detectable anti-SIV antibodies. The other two animals died 17 and 27 weeks after SIV inoculation with either SAIDS or early lymphoid depletion, although no histological evidence of activated RhCMV was observed. Both had weak anti-SIV antibody titers. RhCMV antibody responses for this group of monkeys were significantly below those of control animals inoculated with only RhCMV. In addition, all animals of this group had persistent RhCMV DNA in plasma and high copy numbers of RhCMV in tissues. In contrast, animals that were inoculated with SIV at 11 weeks after RhCMV infection rarely exhibited RhCMV DNA in plasma, had low copy numbers of RhCMV DNA in most tissues, and did not develop early onset of SAIDS or activated RhCMV. SIV antibody titers were mostly robust and sustained in these monkeys. SIV inoculation blunted further development of RhCMV humoral responses, unlike the normal pattern of development in control monkeys following RhCMV inoculation. Anti-RhCMV immunoglobulin G levels and avidity were slightly below control values, but levels maintained were higher than those observed following SIV infection at 2 weeks after RhCMV inoculation. These findings demonstrate that SIV produces long-lasting insults to the humoral immune system beginning very early after SIV infection. The results also indicate that anti-RhCMV immune development at 11 weeks after infection was sufficient to protect the host from acute RhCMV sequelae following SIV infection, in contrast to the lack of protection afforded by only 2 weeks of immune response to RhCMV. As previously observed, monkeys that were not able to mount a significant immune response to SIV were the most susceptible to SAIDS, including activated RhCMV infection. Rapid development of SAIDS in animals inoculated with SIV 2 weeks after RhCMV inoculation suggests that RhCMV can augment SIV pathogenesis, particularly during primary infection by both viruses.