A new transmissible AIDS-like disease in mice induced by alloimmune stimuli

Nat Med. 1997 Jan;3(1):37-41. doi: 10.1038/nm0197-37.

Abstract

The search for a suitable and reliable animal model for human AIDS that is easy to use on a large scale continues. Here we describe a new condition in mice that closely resembles human AIDS, namely, chronic lymphoproliferation with dramatic depletion of CD4-positive cells, progressive impairment of the immune responses, and Kaposi's sarcoma-like tumors or terminal B-lymphomas. The AIDS-like disease was primarily induced by mating BALB/c female mice to C57BL/6 males during a 1-year period (7-10 allogeneic pregnancies) followed by immunization with paternal lymphocytes. The disease is sexually and vertically transmissible, transferrable by cell-free plasma and is associated with autoimmune reactions to major histocompatibility complex antigens and CD4 cells. We hope that this becomes a model for studying the mechanisms of AIDS immunopathogenesis and immune-based treatment approaches.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / etiology*
  • Animals
  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoimmune Diseases / complications
  • Autoimmune Diseases / etiology*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Transmission, Infectious
  • Female
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immune Sera
  • Immunization, Passive
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
  • Leukemia, Experimental / immunology*
  • Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pregnancy
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / immunology
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / pathology
  • Spleen / immunology
  • Spleen / pathology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Immune Sera