Detection of SIV DNA in rhesus macaque polymorphonuclear neutrophils

The extent of infection of monkey polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) by simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) has not yet been determined. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, we detected the presence of SIVmac239 DNA in rhesus macaque-derived PMN after 24 hrs of in vitro incubation of the cells with SIVmac239. Infection by SIVmac239 also down-regulated the expression of the bcl-2 apoptosis-blocking gene in the infected PMN. These SIVmac239-induced PMN intracellular alterations were correlated with an accelerated decrease in PMN viability over a period of 120 hrs compared to non-infected PMN. Evidence of chromatin condensation characteristic of programmed cell death (apoptosis) was also observed in SIVmac239-infected PMN. The results of this study provide a mechanism for the reduced chemotaxis/phagocytosis activities of PMN of SIVmac239-infected macaques and suggest that PMN is one of the target cells for SIVmac239 infection.