Early lymphoid responses and germinal center formation correlate with lower viral load set points and better prognosis of simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

ABSTRACT: We have investigated the dynamics of germinal center (GC) formation in lymphoid tissues following acute SIV infection. SIV induces a marked follicular hyperplasia, associated with an aberrant accumulation of nonproliferating T follicular helper cells within GCs, but with an abundance of cells producing IL-21, demonstrating that the mechanisms involved for these two events appear independent. IL-21-stimulated T follicular helper cells are considered a critical element for GC formation, a physiological process that seems dysregulated and excessive during HIV/SIV infection, contributing to lymphoid pathogenesis. However, the data suggest that the kinetics by which such GCs are formed may be an important predictor of the host-pathogen equilibrium, as early GC hyperplasia was associated with be

SUBMITTER: Hong JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4084862 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature