FUNCTIONAL & PHENOTYPIC ANALYSIS OF T-CELLS IN FIV-FAIDS

一种类似于人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）的猫慢病毒， 在我们的实验室从患有免疫缺陷的家猫中分离出来 猫免疫缺陷病毒（FIV）。的标志 猫感染FIV的原因是感染者的易感性增加 动物继发感染的情况与观察到的情况非常相似 艾滋病病毒感染人类。此外，还有实验结果表明， 这表明受感染的猫的T细胞免疫缺陷。使用 FIV感染猫作为人类艾滋病的小动物模型应 因为它更经济，更快速， 与猫白血病病毒相比， 或通过除灵长类动物模型外的其它动物慢病毒。 本研究的目的是利用艾滋病的FIV模型来评估 T淋巴细胞在FIV-FAIDS免疫发病机制中的作用。在这 研究，猫试剂和功能测定需要评估猫T 淋巴细胞网络将发展。这些试剂和程序将 然后用于在FIV的各个阶段监测T细胞功能 猫的感染本研究还将试图解决以下问题 目前尚不清楚的FIV感染点：（1） 被FIV感染的T细胞亚群和T细胞作为FIV感染的免疫调节剂的作用 抗原呈递细胞(2)如果真的存在T细胞亚群缺陷 那么这些缺陷在FIV免疫发病机制中的作用- 法兹。该项目的总体意义是确定 艾滋病在动物中发生的机制， 可以用来预防艾滋病病毒感染的方法。的 这些研究的结果应该有助于确定 这将有助于对抗人类艾滋病毒感染的治疗策略。

A feline lentivirus resembling human immunodeificency virus (HIV) was siolated in our laboratory from domestic cats with immunodeficiency syndrome and was named feline immunodeiciency virus (FIV). The hallmark of FIV infection in cats is the increased susceptibility of the infected animals to secondary infections much similar to what has been observed for HIV infection of humans. In addition, there are experimental results suggesting a defect in T cell immunity in the infected cats. The use of FIV infection of cats as a small animal model for human AIDS should therefore be considered because it is far more economical, more rapid, and much closer model for human AIDS that those of feline leukemia virus or by other animal lentiviruses with the exception of the primate models. The purpose of this project is to use the FIV model of AIDs to evaluate the role of T lymphocytes in the immunopathogenesis of FIV-FAIDS. In this study, feline reagents and functional assays needed to evaluate feline T lymphocyte network will be developed. These reagents and procedures will then be used to monitor the T-cell functions during various stages of FIV infection in cats. This study will also attempt to address the following points of FIV infection which is still unknown: (1) The identity of the T-cell subset(s) that is/are infected by FIV and the role of T cells as antigen presenting cells. (2) If subsets of T-cells deficiencies do exist then the role of these deficiencies in the immunopathogensis of FIV- FAIDS. The overall significance of this project is to identify the mechanism(s) by which AIDS occurs in animals and to develop immunological approaches that could be used to prevent AIDS virus infection. The results from these studies should help identify prophylaptic and therapeutic strategies that will help combat HIV infection of humans.