Feline Immunology and Immunodeficiency

The discovery of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) has heightened interest in feline immunology, with FIV emerging as an animal model for HIV infection of man. Willett and Jarrett provide a much needed overview of feline immunology and immunodeficiency. Subjects covered include basic immunology of the cat, including surface marker expression, the T-cell receptor, MHC, cytokines, and immunoglobulins. Many aspects of FIV pathegenesis are also covered including viral tropism, the effects of infection on the immune system, genomic structure and variation, epitope mapping of viral proteins, FIV-induced CTL, and vaccination against FIV infection. This book is intended for retrovirologists, specifically those researchers with an interest in AIDS. Researchers interested in feline viruses and immunology.Table of Content1: The expression of leucocyte differentiation antigens in the feline immune system. 2: Feline CD4. 3: Feline CD4: structure and possible role in feline immunodeficiency virus infection. 4: The feline major histocompatibility complex. 5: The feline T cell receptor B gene. 6: Detection of feline cytokine receptor mRNA transcripts. 7: Purification and characterization of feline lgM and lgA isotypes and three subclasses of lgG. 8: Feline immunodeficiency virus infection: a clinical and pathological perspective. 9: Effect of FIV infection on the peripheral immune system. 10: Functional abnormalities in the immune system of FIV-infected cats. 11: Immunoglobulin changes associated with feline immunodeficiency virus infections. 12: Mitogen responses and cytokine production in FIV infection. 13: Feline immunodeficiency virus and cell tropism. 14: The genomic organization of feline immunodeficiency virus. 15: Genetic variation in feline immunodeficiency virus. 16: Vaccination against FIV. 17: B cell epitope mapping of feline immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoproteins. 18: Location of epitopes on the core protein p24 of feline immunodifiency virus. 19: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to feline immunodeficiency virus. 20: FeLV/FAIDS immunodeficiency syndrome. Appendices