Distribution of immune cells in the female reproductive tract in uninfected and FIV infected cats

Abstract

Cell-free and cell-associated FIV effectively cross the mucosa of the feline female reproductive tract. To identify possible cellular targets of FIV and to characterize changes in mucosal immunity after infection, we examined the types and numbers of immune cells residing in the reproductive tracts of control and intravaginally FIV-infected cats. Sections of the vestibule, vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries, were examined by immunohistochemistry for CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, CD22+ B lymphocytes, CD1a+ dendritic cells, and CD14+ macrophages. The reproductive tract of uninfected cats contained substantial numbers of CD8+ T lymphocytes, CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophages, as well as moderate numbers of CD1a+ dendritic cells, and few B lymphocytes. The most prominent change between FIV- and FIV+ cats was a marked decrease in the concentration of CD4+ T lymphocytes resulting in inverted CD4+:CD8+ ratios throughout the reproductive tract of infected cats. There was also a trend towards increasing numbers of CD1a+ dendritic cells in the intravaginally-infected FIV+ cats, and decreasing numbers of macrophages and CD22+ B lymphocytes. This study indicates that similar to the peripheral immune system, FIV infection is associated with CD4+ cell loss and reduced CD4+:CD8+ ratios in the female reproductive mucosal tissue.