Nude mice inoculated with MT-2 cells supporting SIV replication in
vivo:a small animal model for anti-HIV efficacy evaluation
Abstract
Background and Purpose: The previous humanized mouse model for HIV/AIDS
study loses the superiority of easy operation and justifiable cost. In
this study, an economical and easy-to-operate small animal model
supporting SIV replication in vivo was established. Experimental
approach: Three-week-old male BALB/c nude mice were transplanted with
SIV infected MT-2 cells by single intraperitoneal injection to establish
the SIV infection model. The change in plasma viral load and the
colonization of MT-2 cells in vivo were investigated. Changes of the
immune system were evaluated by ELISA assay and flow cytometry assay.
Results: The success rates of this model were 100% and all mice in the
model group had detectable plasma viral loads (4.98±0.35
~ 5.39±0.31 log10 SIV RNA copies / mL) in peripheral
blood. It is our speculation that the virus replication in mice was
mainly due to the proliferation of SIV-infected MT-2 cells that
distributed and colonized in abdominal cavities as well as lymph nodes,
releasing free virions to maintain infection. It is worth mentioning
that there was a statistically significant downtrend in the plasma viral
loads of the HAART group. Administration of HAART somewhat reversed this
trend of SIV-associated B cell exhaustion and immune collapse.
Conclusions and Implications: Therefore, it is reasonable to believe
that the model proposed in this study could be a valuable tool to
evaluate antiviral effects and immune regulation efficacy in vivo.