Kp. Black et al., IGA IMMUNITY IN HIV TYPE 1-INFECTED CHIMPANZEES .2. MUCOSAL IMMUNITY, AIDS research and human retroviruses, 13(15), 1997, pp. 1273-1282
Vaginal wash fluids from chimpanzees cervically infected with HIV-1 an
d saliva from intravenously and cervically infected chimpanzees were a
nalyzed for total IgA, IgA1, IgA2, IgG, and albumin concentrations and
for reactivity against HIV-1, No overt abnormalities were detected in
salivary immunoglobulin or albumin concentrations in either group of
animals, Anti-HN IgA and IgA subclass antibodies mere demonstrated in
saliva from five of six intravenously infected chimpanzees and in two
of four cervically infected animals, with titers ranging from 1:5 to 1
:20, HIV-specific IgG antibodies could be detected in saliva from half
of the systemically infected group, the highest titer being 1:2560, w
hereas the highest anti-HIV IgG titer in the mucosally infected group
was 1:20, Western blot analyses of the first saliva samples obtained a
fter initial virus exposure revealed IgG, IgA, and IgG subclass antibo
dies directed at the env, gag, or pol gene products in both groups of
chimpanzees, Examination of IgG, IgA, IgA1, and IgA2 concentrations in
vaginal washes from cervically infected animals showed that IgG level
s were highest, but IgA and IgA subclass reactivities against HIV-1 we
re more prominent than that of IgG, These results demonstrate that sys
temic infection of chimpanzees with HIV-1 elicits mucosal responses sp
ecific for HIV, and vaginal infection of chimpanzees induces a common
mucosal immune response reminiscent of that in humans.