biostudies-literatureOrtiz AMCCR NIH HHSNCRR NIH HHSNIAID NIH HHSNCI NIH HHSPHS HHS4433-45https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3204830biostudies-literatureUnknown121(11)CD4+ T cells play a central role in the immunopathogenesis of HIV/AIDS, and their depletion during chronic HIV infection is a hallmark of disease progression. However, the relative contribution of CD4+ T cells as mediators of antiviral immune responses and targets for virus replication is still unclear. Here, we have generated data in SIV-infected rhesus macaques (RMs) that suggest that CD4+ T cells are essential in establishing control of virus replication during acute infection. To directly assess the role of CD4+ T cells during primary SIV infection, we in vivo depleted these cells from RMs prior to infecting the primates with a pathogenic strain of SIV. Compared with undepleted animals, CD4+ lymphocyte-depleted RMs showed a similar peak of viremia, but did not manifest any post-peak deThe Journal of clinical investigationDepletion of CD4⁺ T cells abrogates post-peak decline of viremia in SIV-infected rhesus macaques.PMC3204830R37 AI066998HHSN261200800001EHHSN261200800001CP30 AI045008RR-00165P51 RR000165261200800001EAI-66998R01 AI066998Little DMYi YPaiardini MHao XPAnsari AACollman RGCramer EMKlatt NRTabb BGonzalez-Scarano FBrenchley JMEstes JDRyzhova EElse JGLi BSternberg LRatcliffe SDerdeyn CALawson BCarnathan PMSilvestri GOrtiz AMEngram JCfalseDepletion of CD4⁺ T cells abrogates post-peak decline of viremia in SIV-infected rhesus macaques.CD4+ T cells play a central role in the immunopathogenesis of HIV/AIDS, and their depletion during chronic HIV infection is a hallmark of disease progression. However, the relative contribution of CD4+ T cells as mediators of antiviral immune responses and targets for virus replication is still unclear. Here, we have generated data in SIV-infected rhesus macaques (RMs) that suggest that CD4+ T cells are essential in establishing control of virus replication during acute infection. To directly assess the role of CD4+ T cells during primary SIV infection, we in vivo depleted these cells from RMs prior to infecting the primates with a pathogenic strain of SIV. Compared with undepleted animals, CD4+ lymphocyte-depleted RMs showed a similar peak of viremia, but did not manifest any post-peak de2011-01-01T00:00:00Z2011 Nov2025-04-21T18:14:12.19Z2019-03-27T00:45:31ZS-EPMC32048302200530410.1172/jci4602310.1172/JCI46023