HIV-induced AIDS may be mediated by the activation of immunosuppressive CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (Tregs). Tregs have been shown to regulate CD4+ and CD8+ immune responses to HIV and FIV antigens in vitro. We tested the hypothesis that Tregs become infected and activated during the acute stage of FIV infection leading to the suppression of CD4+ T helper cell responses. Cats were experimentally infected with FIV-NCSU-1 and blood and lymph node biopsies were collected at 1 week intervals following inoculation. Real-Time PCR was used to determine plasma viremia and relative number of FIV copies in CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD25- T cell subsets. Flow cytometry was used to assess the absolute numbers of each cell type and the expression of activation markers. Real-time RT-PCR was also used to assess relative increases in FoxP3 and TGF- mRNA levels over time. Treg suppression of IL-2 production in CD4+ T helper cells was assessed by ELISPOT assays and inhibition of cellular proliferation was assessed by incorporation of tritiated thymidine and CFSE. Our results show that peak viremia levels correlate with maximal infectivity in lymph node CD4+CD25+ populations. FIV-gag-mRNA levels are higher in CD4+CD25+ T cells than CD4+CD25- lymph node T cells. Activation of FoxP3 and increased expression of TGF1 in CD4+CD25+ cells correlates with peak plasma viremia and FIV-gag-mRNA levels in CD4+CD25+ T cells. Regulatory function can be detected in CD4+CD25+ T cells during the acute phase of FIV infection. Our findings support the hypothesis that early activation of immunosuppressor function in Treg cells may limit an effective anti-FIV response contributing to the establishment of the chronic infection and the immunodeficiency caused by this virus.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NCSU/oai:NCSU:etd-11022007-103144 |
| Date | 03 December 2007 |
| Creators | Mexas, Angela Marie |
| Contributors | Gregg A. Dean, Linda Martin, Mary B. Tompkins, Wayne A. Tompkins |
| Publisher | NCSU |
| Source Sets | North Carolina State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-11022007-103144/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dis sertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to NC State University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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