Infection, viral dissemination, and antibody responses of rhesus macaques exposed to the XXXX gammaretrovirus XMRV.

@entity1 @entity778 @entity697 @entity263 @entity646 @entity404 @entity19 @entity344 @entity281 @entity1778 @entity5815
Xenotropic @entity19 @entity1778 -related virus (XMRV) was identified in association with @entity1 @entity263 and @entity5815 . To examine the @entity281 potential, kinetics, and tissue distribution of XMRV in an animal model, we inoculated five macaques with XMRV intravenously. XMRV established a persistent, chronic disseminated @entity281 , with low transient @entity646 and provirus in blood lymphocytes during @entity697 . Although undetectable in blood after about a month, XMRV @entity646 was reactivated at 9 months, confirming the chronicity of the @entity281 . Furthermore, XMRV Gag was detected in tissues throughout, with wide dissemination throughout the period of monitoring. Surprisingly, @entity778 showed organ-specific cell tropism, infecting @entity404 T cells in lymphoid organs including the @entity344 propria, alveolar macrophages in lung, and epithelial/interstitial cells in other organs, including the reproductive tract. Of note, in spite of the intravenous inoculation, extensive XMRV replication was noted in prostate during acute but not chronic @entity281 even though infected cells were still detectable by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in prostate at 5 and 9 months postinfection. Marked lymphocyte activation occurred immediately postinfection, but antigen-specific cellular responses were undetectable. Antibody responses were elicited and boosted upon reexposure, but titers decreased rapidly, suggesting low antigen stimulation over time. Our findings establish a nonhuman primate model to study XMRV replication/dissemination, transmission, pathogenesis, immune responses, and potential future therapies.
