Deletion of the nef gene results in viral attenuation and confers protection against challenge with wild-type simian immunodeficiency virus in macaques.
Golgi structure was also investigated in cells in tissue sections of pulmonary vascular lesions in idiopathic PAH (IPAH) and in macaques infected with a chimeric simian immunodeficiency virus containing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-nef gene (SHIV-nef) with subcellular three-dimensional (3D) immunoimaging.
The nef genes of the human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) and the related simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) encode a protein (Nef) whose role in virus replication and cytopathicity remains uncertain.
In vivo experiments have indicated that an intact nef gene is required for disease progression in macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus, suggesting a role for Nef in the pathogenesis of AIDS.
When simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) deleted in the nef gene caused no disease in macaques and provided protection against wild-type SIV challenge, hopes were high that the removal of nef would convert a pathogenic immunodeficiency virus into a live attenuated vaccine.
Human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV, respectively) initially exploit their accessory Nef protein to increase the responsiveness of infected CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells to stimulation.
However, oral burdens of C. albicans were increased in CD4C/HIV(MutG) Tg mice expressing only the nef gene of HIV-1 and bred on a CD8 gene-deficient background (CD8-/-), compared to control or heterozygous CD8+/- CD4C/HIV(MutG) Tg mice.
Analysis of the open reading frames revealed that the SIVmonNG1 genome codes for a Vpu protein, in addition to Gag, Pol, Vif, Vpr, Tat, Rev, Env, and Nef proteins.
Nef proteins from simian immunodeficiency virus-infected chimpanzees interact with p21-activated kinase 2 and modulate cell surface expression of various human receptors.
To understand the virologic basis of these differences, the nef gene from HIV-2-seropositive persons was analyzed because of its importance for disease progression in the genetically related simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV[MAC]).
An intact nef gene is essential for rapid development of immunodeficiency in human immunodeficiency virus and simian immunodeficiency virus infections.
A chimeric human and simian immunodeficiency virus carrying the tat, rev, vpu, env, and nef genes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 was generated.
It is well established that the Nef proteins of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV) modulate major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) cell surface expression to protect infected cells against lysis by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs).
When inoculated into macaque monkeys, SHIV(MD14) carrying simian immunodeficiency virus-derived nef established significantly higher virus loads than did SHIV(MD1), which contains the HIV-1 nef gene.