Investigating STLV-1 infection in African green monkeys: a model for understanding HTLV-1 pathogenesis

TL;DR

Researchers studied STLV-1 in African green monkeys to better understand how a related virus, HTLV-1, causes disease in humans.

Contribution

The study identifies genetic and clinical parallels between STLV-1 in monkeys and HTLV-1 in humans, supporting the use of green monkeys as a model.

Findings

STLV-1 was detected in 13.4% of the studied African green monkeys.

Phylogenetic analysis linked STLV-1 strains to baboon strains and human HTLV-1 isolates, suggesting shared evolutionary history.

Clinical signs in infected monkeys mirrored those in HTLV-1-infected humans, including lymphoproliferative disorders.

Abstract

Simian T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (STLV-1) and human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) are homologous viruses with high genetic identity. STLV-1 infections in non-human primates serve as valuable models to study HTLV-1 pathogenesis.

This study investigated STLV-1 infection in captive green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) in Brazil. Blood samples from 52 animals were collected and analyzed for viral presence, genetic characterization, and pathological manifestations.

STLV-1 infection was detected in seven animals, corresponding to a seroprevalence of 13.4%. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the STLV-1 strains identified are more closely related to baboon STLV-1 strains and human African HTLV-1 isolates than to other STLV-1 variants, suggesting a shared evolutionary history and possible cross-species transmission. Clinically and hematologically, STLV-1 infection in C. aethiops presented parallels to HTLV-1 infection in humans, including the presence of characteristic “flower cells” and similar lymphoproliferative disorders.

These findings reinforce the relevance of C. aethiops as a natural model for studying HTLV-1 infection and pathogenesis. The genetic and clinical similarities indicate potential mechanisms of viral evolution and transmission, providing insights that may aid in understanding HTLV-1-associated diseases in humans.

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