Malignant lymphomas in cynomolgus monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus

Malignant lymphomas were observed in 38% (9 of 24) of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) 5 to 15 months after inoculation with SIV strain SMM3. Lymphomagenesis in the SIV-infected monkeys was not related directly to the SIV-infectious dose given. All SIV-infected animals developed severe immunodeficiency. No significant difference in immunodeficiency was observed between tumor-bearing and non-tumor-bearing animals. In contrast, no lymphomas were observed in a comparable group of HIV-2-infected monkeys, which did not develop immunodeficiency; nor did the noninfected control monkeys. All 9 SIV-related tumors were high-grade B-cell lymphoblastic or pleomorphic lymphomas with extranodal, disseminated growth. Most tumors showed marked infiltration by monocytes and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Occasional tumor infiltrating cells showed immunohistochemical reaction for SIV. The cells of two tumors were established in vitro and shown to be of B-cell phenotype. The tumor cell cultures showed no reverse transcriptase activity and no evidence of virus infection by electron microscopy. Our observations indicate that SIV-induced immunodeficiency in cynomolgus monkeys also mimics HIV infection and AIDS in humans with regard to increased lymphomagenesis and type of lymphomas.