Analysis of Cellular Component Indicators of Immune Status of Rhesus Macaques

Objective. Selection of indicators of lymphocyte populations in rhesus macaques determined by flow cytometry to evaluate variations of cellular constituent of their immune status.

Materials and methods. Blood of 11 healthy rhesus macaque males, 2,0–2,5 years old, weighing 2,5–3,0 kg, was used. Monkeys were examined simultaneously in each of 7 months of observation (since May till November). Immunophenotyping was conducted by FC500 cytofluorimeter using Affymetrix eBioscience monoclonal antibodies. The following cellular constituent indicators of immune status were differentiated: total T lymphocytes (phenotype CD2+CD20-); total B lymphocytes (phenotype CD2-CD20+); natural killer cells (phenotype CD2+CD56+); T helper cells (phenotype CD2+CD4+); cytotoxic T lymphocytes (phenotype CD2+CD8+); double-positive T lymphocytes (phenotype CD4+CD8+) and T lymphocytes positive by antigens CD2 and CD20 (phenotype CD2+CD20+).

Results and discussion. Statistical analysis of the obtained results revealed the absence of the effect of research time factor on the stated indicators. To assess changes in the cellular constituent of immune status of rhesus macaques, it is possible to use indicators that are less variable: total T and B lymphocytes, T helper cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes and T lymphocytes with phenotype (CD2+CD20+). The use of CD56 as a marker of natural killer cells of rhesus macaques is impractical due to its low expression and a small size of the population bearing this marker. The research results may form the basis of the normative indicators of the subpopulation cell composition of immune system in rhesus macaques, which will allow the study of infected animals when assessing the quality of medical products in relation to dangerous and particularly dangerous infections. 

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