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Cynomolgus macaques are widely used as an animal model in biomedical research. We have established an immortalized cynomolgus macaque fibroblast cell line (MSF-T) by transducing primary dermal fibroblasts isolated from a 13-year-old male cynomolgus macaque with a retrovirus vector expressing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). The MSF-T cells showed increased telomerase enzyme activity and reached over 200 in vitro passages compared to the non-transduced dermal fibroblasts, which reached senescence after 43 passages. The MSF-T cell line is free of mycoplasma contamination and is permissive to the newly identified cynomolgus macaque cytomegalovirus (CyCMV). CyCMV productively infects MSF-T cells and induces down-regulation of MHC class I expression. The MSF-T cell line will be extremely useful for the propagation of CyCMV and other cynomolgus herspesviruses in host-derived fibroblast cells, allowing for the retention of host-specific viral genes. Moreover, this cell line will be beneficial for many in vitro experiments related to this animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cynomolgus macaques have been widely used as an animal model in preclinical biomedical research and are becoming more popular among HIV/SIV vaccine researchers. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a cytomegalovirus from cynomolgus macaques (CyCMV). CyCMV was isolated from a healthy captive-bred 4-year-old cynomolgus macaque of Filipino origin. The virus was identified by its characteristic growth properties in cell culture, ultrastructural morphology and sequence of viral DNA polymerase and glycoprotein B (gB). CyCMV gB shows 77% identity and 88% homology to rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) gB and 58% identity and 76% homology to human cytomegalovirus gB at the amino acid level. Phylogenetic analysis using known CMV gB protein sequences show that CyCMV is more closely related to RhCMV than to other primate CMVs. CyCMV down-regulates MHC class I expression on infected cells and we show that the colony-bred cynomolgus macaques have detectable CyCMV-specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The new millennium opens the third decade of work on network exchange theory. During two decades of continuous growth, the program has been tested as intensively and extensively as any in sociology. This article summarizes existing research and describes new directions. First, we describe basic network connections and recently discovered structural power conditions that sharply affect exchange ratios. Then we show how game theory enhances understanding of collective action in exchange networks. Two new research programs link network exchange theory to status characteristics theory: the first demonstrates that power produces status, and the second shows how status value produces power. Finally, we discuss how questions about network dynamics, complexity, and legitimation define paths for future theory growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]