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Review
. 2011 Oct 15;143(3-4):215-20.
doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2011.06.014. Epub 2011 Jun 12.

Primate and feline lentiviruses in current intrinsic immunity research: the cat is back

Eric M Poeschla  1
Affiliations
Review

Primate and feline lentiviruses in current intrinsic immunity research: the cat is back

Eric M Poeschla. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. .

Abstract

Retroviral restriction factor research is explaining long-standing lentiviral mysteries. Asking why a particular retrovirus cannot complete a critical part of its life cycle in cells of a particular species has been the starting point for numerous discoveries, including heretofore elusive functions of HIV-1 accessory genes. The potential for therapeutic application is substantial. Analyzing the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) life cycle has been instrumental and the source of some surprising observations in this field. FIV is restricted in cells of various primates by several restriction factors including APOBEC3 proteins and, uniquely, TRIM proteins from both Old and New World monkeys. In contrast, the feline genome does not encode functional TRIM5alpha or TRIMCyp proteins and HIV-1 is primarily blocked in feline cells by APOBEC3 proteins. These can be overcome by inserting FIV vif or even SIVmac vif into HIV-1. The domestic cat and its lentivirus are positioned to offer strategic research opportunities as the field moves forward.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement

The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Overview of lentiviral phylogeny
Approximate phylogenetic relationships are illustrated.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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