ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIFIC PATHOGEN FREE RHESUS MACAQUE COLONIES

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The projected need for Indian rhesus macaques for AIDS-related research exceeds availability from current domestic breeding programs and there is an urgent need to expand breeding programs for future AIDS vaccine and pathogenesis studies. Rhesus macaques with defined major histocompatability complex (MHC) genotypes and known pedigree are becoming increasingly important for research to understand biologic variation in host immune responses and its effects on vaccine strategies and the pathogenesis of AIDS. The objective of this project is to expand the Oregon National Primate Research Center's specific pathogen-free (SPF) Indian rhesus macaque resource and sufficiently characterize their MHC haplotype to permit selected pedigree breeding for MHC class I alleles useful in AIDS research. Specific aims for accomplishing this objective include intensively managing a subpopulation of the Center's SPF Indian rhesus macaque breeding colony to maximize production of genetically diverse females to expand the breeding capacity of the colony. The breeding colony is typed for ten MHC alleles and managed for the production of MHC-defined offspring of known parentage. Both selective breeding of MHC-typed animals and assisted reproduction technology are used to enhance production of future breeder males that are homozygous for the MAMU-A*01 and other alleles important for assessing virus-specific cell-mediated immune function in simian immunodeficiency virus vaccine models for preventing AIDS virus infection. The colony is maintained in state-of-the-art sheltered field cage housing and is comprised of approximately 660 adult and juvenile animals and produces approximately 130 offspring annually.