TBRI Feline Immunodeficiency Study Results

Kraus LA, Bradley WG, Engelman RW, Brown KM, Good RA, Day NK. Relationship between tumor necrosis factor alpha and feline immunodeficiency virus expressions. J Virol. 1996 Jan;70(1):566-9. PubMed PMID: 8523571; PubMed PMCID: PMC189845.

Summary:

In this paper we describe the kinetics of feline AIDS progression and correlate the presence of an immune response protein (TNFa) with the developing FIV infection in lymph nodes of infected cats. This provides an indication of how the immune system initially responds to the infection.

Published Abstract:

The presence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) proviral DNA, expression of FIV p26 core protein, and production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were assessed in sequential biopsies of spleen and lymph node sections, of mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood, and of the serum of specific-pathogen-free cats during the acute phase of FIV infection. A temporal relationship between TNF-alpha production and FIV p26 expression was noted. Two months following FIV infection, and preceding the detection of FIV viremia, levels of TNF-alpha in serum increased significantly (P = 0.04), and they remained elevated during FIV viremia in the third month postinfection. Immunoprecipitates representing expression of TNF-alpha and of FIV p26 were localized in common foci of lymph nodes of FIV-infected cats during this period of active viremia. With the advent of anti-FIV antibodies, circulating levels of TNF-alpha and p26 antigen and expression of TNF-alpha and p26 in the lymph nodes decreased during the fifth month postinfection, and p26 production became undetectable. With clearance of viremia, burden of proviral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells became reduced (P = 0.041), with provirus remaining integrated principally within lymph nodes (P = 0.046). During aviremia, p26 expression was undetectable in any tissue but remained inducible in vitro. During acute FIV infection, TNF-alpha production and p26 expression are intimately linked.