Objective To establish a rhesus monkey model of latent infection with SIVmac239, to study the expression characteristics of CD32 in resting, activated and/or memory CD4+ T cell subsets, and to analyze its potential as a marker of AIDS latent reservoir.
Methods SIVmac239 chronically infected rhesus monkeys were given combined antiretroviral therapy to establish a rhesus monkey model of SIVmac239 latent infection. Using this model, the plasma viral load, CD4+ T cell count, CD4/CD8 cell ratio, and the expression changes of CD32 in different CD4+ T cell subsets were detected in samples at each stage.
Results Compared with before infection, the expression of CD32 was increased in activated naive T cells after SIV infection, and increased in HLA-DR+ CD4+ T cells, but CD32 was expressed in resting CD4+ T cells and resting memory cells. There were no significant differences in the expression of sex T cell subsets.
Conclusions This study provides data support for the notion that CD32 is not a marker of HIV latent reservoirs, and provides information for follow-up HIV cure research.