Non-human primate models of SIV infection and CNS neuropathology

• Non human primate models (NHP) of AIDS and neuroAIDS are the premier models.
• NHP models of neuroAIDS provide insights regarding CNS neuropathogenesis with HIV.
• All NHP models of neuroAIDS have immune modulation in immune suppression and high viral replication in macrophages.
• Activation of monocytes in the periphery and macrophage accumulation in the CNS is required for CNS neuroAIDS.

Non-human primate models of AIDS and neuroAIDS are the premiere model of HIV infection of the CNS and neuropathogenesis. This review discusses current SIV infection models of neuroAIDS emphasizing findings in the last two years. Consistent in these findings is the interplay between host factors that regulate immune responses to virus and viral replication. Several rapid models of AIDS with consistent CNS pathogenesis exist, each of which modulates by antibody treatment or viruses that cause rapid immune suppression and replicate well in macrophages. Consistent in all of these models are data underscoring the importance of monocyte and macrophage activation, infection and accumulation in the CNS.