Mo. Smith et al., INTRATHECAL SYNTHESIS OF IGG IN SIMIAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (SIV)-INFECTED RHESUS MACAQUES (MACACA-MULATTA), AIDS research and human retroviruses, 10(1), 1994, pp. 81-89
We examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum from 25 simian immunod
eficiency (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques for the presence of SIV-speci
fic immunoglobulin G (IgG) and for intrathecal synthesis of IgG. SIV-s
pecific IgG was present in CSF from almost 50% of the macaques. In app
roximately half of these animals the SIV-specific IgG appeared to be d
erived from serum by leakage across a disrupted blood-brain barrier, w
hereas in the remaining animals there was evidence of intrathecal IgG
synthesis. There were no significant associations between CSF SIV-spec
ific IgG, intrathecal IgG synthesis and isolation of virus from CSF, c
linical status, or neuropathological findings. However, SIV-specific I
gG was absent from CSF in all four of the macaques with SIV encephalit
is. The presence of SIV-specific IgG in CSF may have a modulating effe
ct on the development of SIV-associated neurological disease.