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Updated: May 31, 2026
Analysis of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-specific CD8+ T-cells in Rhesus Macaques by Peptide-MHC-I Tetramer Staining
Published on: December 23, 2016
A divergent myeloid dendritic cell response at virus set-point predicts disease outcome in SIV-infected rhesus
S M Barratt-Boyes1, V Wijewardana
1Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. smbb@pitt.edu
Background:
The mechanism for loss of myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) from the circulation in HIV-infected individuals and its relationship to disease progression is not understood.
Methods:
A longitudinal analysis of the mDC response in blood and lymph nodes during the first 12 weeks of infection was performed in a cohort of SIVmac251-infected rhesus macaques with different disease outcomes.
Results:
Monkeys that rapidly progressed to disease or had long-term stable infection had significant losses or increases, respectively, in blood mDCs that were inversely correlated with virus load at set-point. The loss of mDCs from progressor animals was associated with evidence of an increase in CCR7/CCL19-dependent mDC recruitment to lymph nodes and an increase in mDC apoptosis.
Conclusions:
mDC recruitment to and death within inflamed lymph nodes may contribute to disease progression in SIV infection, whereas mobilization without increased recruitment to lymph nodes may promote disease control.
