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Article Higher levels of IL-18 circulate during primary infection of monkeys with a pathogenic SHIV than with a nonpathogenic SHIV. 2003
Kaizu M, Ami Y, Nakasone T, Sasaki Y, Izumi Y, Sato H, Takahashi E, Sakai K, Shinohara K, Nakanishi K, Honda M. · AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. · Virology. · Pubmed #12951016 No free full text.
Abstract: We have monitored kinetics of peripheral blood Interleukin (IL)-18 level, viral RNA load, and CD4(+) T cell counts in cynomolgus and rhesus macaques following infections of various simian/human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs) causing differential pathogenicity. Infections of cynomolgus and rhesus macaques with pathogenic SHIVs-C2/1 and -89.6PD, respectively, induced high levels of plasma IL-18 (0.1-1 ng/ml) and enhanced apoptosis of peripheral blood T cells during primary viremia, along with a rapid decline of CD4(+) T cells and a high level of set point viral load after primary viremia (six of six cases). In contrast, infections of cynomolgus macaques with nonpathogenic SHIVs-TH09V3 and -MD14 did not cause such IL-18 elevation, showing no decline of CD4(+) T cells and no or low viral set point level following primary viremia (three of three cases). Thus, the elevation of circulating IL-18 level during primary viral infection can be a good indicator of an active pathogenic viral infection. However, the role of increased IL-18 remains to be elucidated and needs further investigation.
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