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 influence of alcohol consumption on HIV pathogenesis is not well understood. In these studies, we are using the SIV/macaque model of HIV infection to study the influence of chronic binge alcohol consumption on simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection. Rhesus macaques were fed alcohol or iso-caloric amounts of sucrose via indwelling intra gastric catheters and then inoculated with SIVmac251 by rectal route. Real-time RT-PCR for SIV gag mRNA showed significantly higher plasma viral copies in alcohol consuming macaques at 3 and 4 weeks p.i., compared with sucrose controls. The viral copies were 1 to 2 logs higher in these animals. The percentage of CD8+ lymphocytes in the duodenum of alcohol consuming macaques was significantly lower than in sucrose consuming macaques both before infection as well as at different time points post-infection. Also, percentage of CD4+CD3+ lymphocytes in intestines was significantly higher in alcohol consuming macaques before infection. These findings suggest that a higher percentage of SIV target cells (CD4) in the gut coupled with lower percentages of CD8 cells, which could be important in controlling virus replication, may be responsible for the higher SIV loads observed in alcohol consuming macaques.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 352 publications
