Compromised gastrointestinal integrity in pigtail macaques is associated with increased microbial translocation, immune activation, and IL-17 production in the absence of SIV infection.

ABSTRACT: Pigtail macaques (PTMs) rapidly progress to AIDS after simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection. Given the strong association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and SIV disease progression and microbial translocation and immune activation, we assessed whether high basal levels of immune activation and microbial translocation exist in PTMs. We found that before SIV infection, PTMs had high levels of microbial translocation that correlated with significant damage to the structural barrier of the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, this increased microbial translocation correlated with high levels of immune activation and was associated with high frequencies of interleukin-17-producing T cells. These data highlight the relationship among mucosal damage, microbial translocation and

SUBMITTER: Klatt NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2891168 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature