Dynamics of the immune system response in cerebrospinal fluid and blood of SIVmac-infected rhesus monkeys.

Paired sera and CSF samples were collected from SIVmac-infected macaques. Animals infected with SIVmac251 maintained low gag and high env-specific antibody levels in plasma. Increasing env-specific antibody titers in CSF were associated in one animal with strong intrathecal synthesis. SIVmac239-infected monkeys revealed high antibody titers of gag and env-specificity, in one animal accompanied by weak intrathecal synthesis of virus-specific antibodies. In all animals, the CD4/CD8 ratio in CSF decreased faster compared to blood.