Phenotypic analysis of malignant lymphoma in simian immunodeficiency virus infection using anti-human antibodies

Primates infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) develop a condition similar to the human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The close resemblance between the simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SAIDS) and the human disease has led to the widespread use of SIV-infected monkeys as an animal model in the study of acquired immunodeficiency. We have investigated the use of standard anti-human antibodies for the immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from monkeys with SAIDS. With the exception of antibodies UCHL1 (CD45RO), MT1 (CD43), 4KB5 (CD45RA), and Ber H2 (CD30), our routine (human) lymphoma panel of markers worked successfully on the animal tissues. Using the anti-human antibodies, we were able to analyse the phenotypes of two cases of malignant lymphoma arising in a study group of 26 SIV-infected rhesus monkeys. Both of the cases stained with the antibodies WR16 (CD45RA) and L26 (CD20), and the B-cell lineage of the lymphomas was confirmed by the detection of IgA lambda immunoglobulin expression in one case, and IgM heavy chain in the other. We therefore report the successful use of anti-human antibodies in the immunohistochemical analysis of lymphomas arising in non-human primates infected with SIV.