ESTABLISHMENT AND EXPANSION OF A SPF RHESUS COLONY: AIDS, ANIMAL MODEL

描述(申请人提供)：在过去的五年里，杜兰国家灵长类研究中心(TNPRC)成功地开发和扩大了其无特定病原体(SPF)的恒河猴繁殖群体。到目前的资助期结束时，U24 SPF群体将从第一年的零动物数量增长到第五年末的1000多只动物。该群体完全来自TNPRC传统群体，并已成熟到在未来五年的生产将创造一个自我维持的群体，允许每年分配约150只动物用于NIH资助的艾滋病研究项目。在NCRR/OAR资助的计划中，由U24和U42赠款支持的整个TNPRC SPF群体是最大的，占当前计划普查所反映的动物总数的36%。在过去的五年里，TNPRC SPF殖民地超过一半的动物分配给了附属(外部)调查人员，证明了我们作为国家生物医学资源的承诺。 本申请中提出的SPF菌落的进一步表征和扩展将使用几种策略来完成。已经要求提供资金，以支持创始人SPF繁育种群及其后代，直到分配给艾滋病研究项目。已经申请了对动物进行病毒筛查的资金。扩大的SPF9(超级清洁)菌落将继续增长，以满足专门的艾滋病研究的需要，包括基因治疗、疫苗开发和机会性感染调查。由于胃肠道疾病是TNPRC SPF繁殖群体发病率和死亡率的主要原因，我们计划对动物进行筛选，以选择胃肠道病原体，以进一步阐明它们在疾病中的作用，并制定预防和可能的治疗策略。将进行行为研究，以解决与形成不相关动物的社会群体有关的具体问题，这是保持遗传多样性和保持SPF状态所必需的。 对于这笔赠款支持的种群，预计未来将保留1000只恒河猴。整个TNPRC SPF群体的大小(来自所有来源的支持)将超过3200只动物。 TNPRC SPF群体的持续支持将有助于缓解艾滋病研究工作所需的具有良好特征的恒河猴在全国范围内的严重短缺。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Over the past five years the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) has successfully developed and expanded its specific pathogen free (SPF) rhesus monkey breeding colony. By the end of the current funding period the U24 SPF colony will have grown from a population of zero animals in Year 1 to greater than 1000 animals at the end of Year 5. The colony was completely derived from the TNPRC conventional colony and has matured to the point that production over the next five years will create a self sustaining population allowing assignment of approximately 150 animals per year to NIH funded AIDS research programs. The entire TNPRC SPF colony supported by U24 and U42 grants is the largest in the NCRR/OAR funded program comprising 36 percent of the total animals reflected in the current program census. Over half of the animal allocations from the TNPRC SPF colony over the past five years have been to affiliate (outside) investigators demonstrating our commitment as a national biomedical resource. The further characterization and expansion of the SPF colony proposed in this application will be accomplished using several strategies. Funds have been requested to provide support for the founder SPF breeding stock and their offspring until assignment to AIDS research projects occurs. Funds for viral screening of animals have been requested. The expanded SPF9 (super clean) colony will continue to be grown to meet the needs of specialized AIDS studies including gene therapy, vaccine development and the investigation of opportunistic infections. Because gastrointestinal disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the TNPRC SPF breeding colonies, we plan to screen animals for selected gastrointestinal agents to further clarify their roles in disease and develop prevention and possible treatment strategies. Behavioral studies will be performed to address specific issues related to the formation of social groups of unrelated animals which has been required to maintain genetic diversity and maintain SPF status. For the colony that is supported by this grant, it is anticipated that 1000 rhesus monkeys will be maintained into the future. The size of the entire TNPRC SPF colony (support from all sources) will be over 3200 animals. Continued support of the TNPRC SPF colony will assist in alleviating the critical national shortage of well characterized rhesus monkeys for the AIDS research effort.