# AN AIDS MODEL

> **NIH NIH R01** · CORNELL UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $132,298

## Abstract

The feline acquired immune deficiency syndrome (FAIDS), induced in cats by
experimental infection with feline leukemia virus (FeLV), will be used as
an animal model of AIDS to study retrovirus-associated immune suppression.
Initial studies will utilize dosages of a conventional strain of FeLV to
induce a higher incidence of immunosuppression than leukemia.  The
clinical, immunological and pathological manifestations of FAIDS will be
documented, followed by in-depth study of the mechanisms responsible for
immunosuppression as follows:  a) changes in lymphocyte subpopulations will
be quantitated using monoclonal antibodies developed against these cells;
b) these changes will be correlated with functional changes in the ability
of these cells to mediate help or suppression in vitro; c) virus receptors
will be quantitated using anti-idiotype antibodies developed against
existing anti-FeLV monoclonal antibodies; d) the response to, and
production of T-cell growth factor (TCGF or IL-2) will be assayed; e) the
influence of FeLV on macrophage function in vitro will be studied by
measuring IL-1 and prostaglandin (PG) production, and the effect of
indomethacin, a PG inhibitor.  A second major emphasis of the proposed work
is to identify FeLV variants which selectively produce FAIDS.  This variant
will be sought amongst a) existing molecular clones of FeLV, or will be
newly cloned from b) conventional strains of FeLV with both
immunosuppressive and leukemic properties, c) isolation of "helper"
leukemia virus from inoculums of feline sarcoma virus, or d) FeLV isolated
from naturally occurring cases of FAIDS.  The genome and gene products of
FAIDS-selective variants of FeLV will be characterized and compared to that
of known conventional strains of FeLV.  The mechanism of immunosuppression
by FAIDS-selective variants will also be studied according to the same
procedures described above for conventional FeLV.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3175544
- **Project number:** 5R01CA037742-03
- **Recipient organization:** CORNELL UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** G56PUALJ3KT5
- **Principal Investigator:** FERNANDO M DE NORONHA
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $132,298
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-09-05 → 1988-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3175544

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3175544, AN AIDS MODEL (5R01CA037742-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3175544. Licensed CC0.

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