Characterization of peripheral and mucosal immune responses in rhesus macaques on long-term tenofovir and emtricitabine combination antiretroviral therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The goal of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is to suppress virus replication to limit immune system damage. Some have proposed combining ART with immune therapies to boost antiviral immunity. For this to be successful, ART must not impair physiological immune function.

Methods

We studied the impact of ART (tenofovir and emtricitabine) on systemic and mucosal immunity in uninfected and simian immunodeficiency (SIV)-infected Chinese rhesus macaques. Subcutaneous ART was initiated 2 weeks after tonsillar inoculation with SIVmac239.

Results

There was no evidence of immune dysregulation as a result of ART in either infected or uninfected animals. Early virus-induced alterations in circulating immune cell populations (decreased central memory T cells and myeloid den

SUBMITTER: Jasny E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3494791 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature