Mucosal antibody expression following rapid SIVMne dissemination in intrarectally infected Macaca nemestrina

ABSTRACT The early kinetics of antibody expression following transmucosal infection by SIVMne, were examined in several mucosal compartments in Macaca nemestrina. Five male–female pairs of macaques were inoculated intrarectally with SIVMne E11S, a biological clone, and serially euthanized at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks postinoculation. Plasma, tears, saliva, rectal secretions, and vaginal washes were collected serially and just prior to euthanasia. Both total and SIV-specific IgG and IgA levels were measured by immunoglobulin isotype-specific quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and were further examined by conventional and enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) immunoblots. Virus coculture, polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization assays revealed the systemic spread of virus as early as 1 week postinoculation in 8 of 10 animals. ECL immunoblots detected SIV-specific antibodies in mucosal samples collected 1 week postinoculation. The most dramatic increases in both total and SIV-sp...