Simian immunodeficiency virus as a model of human HIV disease

Because of strong clinical, pathological, virological and immunological ana logies with HIV infection of humans, infection of macaques with SIV provide s a valuable model for exploring crucial issues related to both the pathoge nesis and prevention of HIV infection. The model has offered a unique setti ng for the preclinical evaluation of drugs, vaccines and gene-therapies aga inst HIV, and has helped to identify many virus and host determinants of le ntiviral disease. For instance, the importance of an intact nef gene for ef ficient lentivirus replication and disease induction, and the protective ab ility of live attenuated, nef-deleted viruses have been first demonstrated in macaques using molecular clones of SIV. More recently, the development o f chimeric HIV-SIV vectors able to establish infection and induce disease i n macaques has provided new opportunities for the evaluation of vaccination strategies based upon HIV antigens. The aim of this review is to describe the natural course of SIV infection in macaques and to outline how this mod el has contributed to our understanding of the complex interaction between lentiviruses and host immune system. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.