Comparative transcriptome analysis between rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta) and crab-eating macaques(M. fascicularis)

Understanding gene expression variations between species is pivotal for deciphering the evolutionary diversity in phenotypes. Rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta, MMU)and crab-eating macaques(M. fascicularis, MFA) serve as crucial nonhuman primate biomedical models with different phenotypes. To date, however, large-scale comparative transcriptome research between these two species has not yet been fully explored. Here, we conducted systematic comparisons utilizing newly sequenced RNA-seq data from84 samples(41 MFA samples and 43 MMU samples)encompassing 14 common tissues. Our findings revealed a small fraction of genes(3.7%) with differential expression between the two species, as well as 36.5% of genes with tissue-specific expression in both macaques. Comparison of gene expression between macaques and humans indicated that 22.6% of orthologous genes displayed differential expression in at least two tissues. Moreover,19.41% of genes that overlapped with macaque-specific structural variants showed differential expression between humans and macaques. Of these, the FAM220A gene exhibited elevated expression in humans compared to macaques due to lineage-specific duplication. In summary,this study presents a large-scale transcriptomic comparison between MMU and MFA and between macaques and humans. The discovery of gene expression variations not only enhances the biomedical utility of macaque models but also contributes to the wider field of primate genomics.

Metagenomic comparison of the rectal microbiota between rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus macaques(Macaca fascicularis)

Rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus macaques(Macaca fascicularis) are frequently used in establishing animal models for human diseases. To determine the differences in gut microbiota between these species, rectal swabs from 20 rhesus macaques and 21 cynomolgus macaques were collected, and the microbial composition was examined by deep sequencing of the 16 S rR NA gene. We found that the rectal microbiota of cynomolgus macaques exhibited significantly higher alpha diversity than that of rhesus macaques, although the observed number of operational taxonomic units(OTUs) was almost the same. The dominant taxa at both the phylum and genus levels were similar between the two species, although the relative abundances of these dominant taxa were significantly different between them. Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States(PICRUSt) showed significant differences in the functional components between the microbiota of the two species, in particular the lipopolysaccharide(LPS) synthesis proteins. The above data indicated significant differences in microbial composition and function between these two closely related macaque species, which should be taken into consideration in the future selection of these animals for disease models.

Social rank and cortisol among female rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta)

In animal societies,some stressful events can lead to higher levels of physiological stress.Such stressors,like social rank,also predict an increased vulnerability to an array of diseases.However,the physiological relationship between social rank and stress varies between different species,as well as within groups of a single species.For example,dominant individuals are more socially stressed at times,while at other times it is the subordinate ones who experience this stress.Together,these variations make it difficult to assess disease vulnerability as connected to social interactions.In order to learn more about how physiological rank relationships vary between groups of a single species,cortisol measurements from hair samples were used to evaluate the effects of dominance rank on long-term stress levels in despotic and less stringent female rhesus macaque hierarchal groups.In despotic groups,cortisol levels were found not to be correlated with social rank,but a negative correlation was found between social rank and cortisol levels in less stringent hierarchies.Low ranking monkeys in less stringent groups secreted elevated levels of cortisol compared to higher ranking animals.These data suggest that variations in the strictness of the dominance hierarchy are determining factors in rank related stress physiology.The further consideration of nonhuman primate social system diversity and the linear degree of their hierarchies may allow for the development of valid rank-related stress models that will help increase our understanding and guide the development of new therapeutics for diseases related to human socioeconomic status.

Disease Progression Patterns of SHIV-KB9 in Rhesus Macaques of Chinese Origin in Comparison with Indian Macaques

Objective To develop a model of SHIV-KB9/Chinese origin rhesus （Ch Rh） macaques for vaccine research and to compare the pathogenesis of SHIV-KB9 in Ch Rh macaques with that reported in Indian rhesus （Ind Rh） macaques. Methods Seven mamu-A＊01 negative Ch Rh macaques were inoculated intravenously with 1-10000 MID50 of SHIV-KB9. The monkeys were monitored for viral load, CD4, CDS, SHIV-specific antibody and virus genetic variation. The results were compared with those previously observed in Ind Rh macaques. Results As compared to that observed in Ind Rh macaques, SHIV-KB9 in Ch Rh macaques displayed three identical disease progression patterns. However, the primary pattern was not identical between the two subspecies. The level of plasma viremia differed in SHIV-KB9-infected Ch Rh macaques which exhibited different outcomes from those in Ind Rh macaques. Generally, the values of viral load and the maintenance of CD4^＋ T cells were associated with humoral responses. Otherwise, the viral genetic distances （divergence, diversity） were larger in animals （M419, M425） with their CD4^＋ T cells profoundly depleted. Conclusion The model of SHIV-KB9/Ch Rh macaques displays a relatively slow progression to AIDS compared with Ind Rh macaques, which may more accurately reflect the potential of candidate vaccines in humans.

Effect of sildenafil citrate on penile erection of rhesus macaques

Aim: To examine the effect of sildenafil citrate on penile erection of male rhesus macaque. Methods: Twenty Macaca mulatta were divided into the sildenafil treated and the control groups of 10 animals each. The penile size, the corpus cavernosal electromyogram (EMG) and the intra-corpus cavernosal pressure (ICP) were determined. Results: The diameter of penis and the ICP were significantly increased and the corpus cavernosal EMG significantly reduced in the sildenafil group. Conclusion: Sildenafil citrate increases the penile size and ICP and reduces the corpus cavernosal EMG in male rhesus macaque.

Parameter comparison of white matter diffusion tensor imaging （DTI） in rhesus macaques （Macaca mulatta）

In this study, we analyzed diffusion tensor imaging （DTI） results of brain white matter in rhesus macaques （Macaca mulatta） with four different parameter settings and found that the sequence A （b=1000 s/mm^2, spatial resolution=1.25 mm ×1.25 mm× 1.25 mm, numbers of direction=33, NSA=3） and B （b=800 s/mm^2, spatial resolution= 1.25 mm× 1.25 mm× 1.25 mm, numbers of direction=33, NSA=3） could accurately track coarse fibers. The fractional anisotropy （FA） derived from sequence C （b=1000s/mm^2, spatial resolution=0.55 mm×0.55 mm×2.5 mm, direction number=33, NSA=3） was too fuzzy to be used in tracking white matter fibers. By comparison, the high resolution and the FA with high contrast of gray matter and white matter derived from sequence D （b=800 s/mm^2, spatial resolution=1.0 mm×1.0 mm ×1.0 mm, numbers of direction=33, NSA=3） qualified in its application in tracking both thick and thin fibers, making it an optimal DTI setting for rhesus macaques.

Social rank and cortisol among female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

In animal societies, some stressful events can lead to higher levels of physiological stress. Such stressors, like social rank, also predict an increased vulnerability to an array of diseases. However, the physiological relationship between social rank and stress varies between different species, as well as within groups of a single species. For example, dominant individuals are more socially stressed at times, while at other times it is the subordinate ones who experience this stress. Together, these variations make it difficult to assess disease vulnerability as connected to social interactions. In order to learn more about how physiological rank relationships vary between groups of a single species, cortisol measurements from hair samples were used to evaluate the effects of dominance rank on long-term stress levels in despotic and less stringent female rhesus macaque hierarchal groups. In despotic groups, cortisol levels were found not to be correlated with social rank, but a negative correlation was found between social rank and cortisol levels in less stringent hierarchies. Low ranking monkeys in less stringent groups secreted elevated levels of cortisol compared to higher ranking animals. These data suggest that variations in the strictness of the dominance hierarchy are determining factors in rank related stress physiology. The further consideration of nonhuman primate social system diversity and the linear degree of their hierarchies may allow for the development of valid rank-related stress models that will help increase our understanding and guide the development of new therapeutics for diseases related to human socioeconomic status.

Differential Transcriptomic Landscapes of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Multiple Organs from Infected Rhesus Macaques

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)caused the persistent coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic,which has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide and brought an enormous public health and global economic burden.The recurring global wave of infections has been exacerbated by growing variants of SARS-CoV-2.In this study,the virological characteristics of the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and its variants of concern(VOCs;including Alpha,Beta,and Delta)in vitro,as well as differential transcriptomic landscapes in multiple organs(lung,right ventricle,blood,cerebral cortex,and cerebellum)from the infected rhesus macaques,were elucidated.The original strain of SARS-CoV-2 caused a stronger innate immune response in host cells,and its VOCs markedly increased the levels of subgenomic RNAs,such as N,Orf9b,Orf6,and Orf7ab,which are known as the innate immune antagonists and the inhibitors of antiviral factors.Intriguingly,the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and Alpha variant induced larger alteration of RNA abundance in tissues of rhesus monkeys than Beta and Delta variants did.Moreover,a hyperinflammatory state and active immune response were shown in the right ventricles of rhesus monkeys by the up-regulation of inflammation-and immune-related RNAs.Furthermore,peripheral blood may mediate signaling transmission among tissues to coordinate the molecular changes in the infected individuals.Collectively,these data provide insights into the pathogenesis of COVID-19 at the early stage of infection by the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and its VOCs.

Inhibitory effects of chloroquine on the activation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in SIVmac239-infected Chinese rhesus macaques

It is currently widely accepted that immune activation in HIV-infected individuals leads to a severe loss of CD4＋ T cells and the progression to AIDS. However, the underlying mechanism of this immune activation remains unclear. Experimental data suggest that the activation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells （pDCs） by plasma viremia may play a critical role in HIV-induced immune activation. In this study, we found that the level of immune activation was higher in the late phase of SIVmac239 infection compared with chronic infection, which suggests that immune activation might be related to disease progression in SIVmac239-infected non-human primate models. Our work also showed that chloroquine could effectively inhibit the activation of pDCs in vitro and in vivo. However, chloroquine treatment of SIVmac239-infected macaques had no significant influence on the Cellular composition of peripheral blood in these animals.

Construction of Soluble Mamu-B~*1703,a Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex of Chinese Rhesus Macaques,Monomer and Tetramer Loaded with a Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Peptide

Chinese-descent rhesus macaques have become more prevalent for HIV infection and vaccine investigation than Indian-origin macaques. Most of the currently available data and reagents such as major histocompatibility complex （MHC） class I tetramers, however, were derived from Indian-origin macaques due to the dominant use of these animals in history. Although there are significant differences in the immunogenetic background between the two macaque populations, they share a few of common MHC class I alleles. We reported in this study the procedure for preparation of a soluble Mamu-B＊1703 （a MHC class I molecule of Chinese macaques） monomer and tetramer loaded with a dominant simian immunodeficiency virus （SIV） epitope IW9 （IRYPKTFGW） that was identified to be Mamu-B＊1701-restricted in Indian macaques. The DNA fragment encoding the Mamu-B＊1703 extracellular domain fused with a BirA substrate peptide （BSP） was amplified from a previously cloned cDNA and inserted into a prokaratic expression vector. In the presence of the antigenic peptide IW9 and light chain β2-microglobulin, the expressed heavy chain was refolded into a soluble monomer. After biotinylation, four monomers were polymerized as a tetramer by phycoerythrin-conjugated streptavidin. The tetramer, having been confirmed to have the right conformation, was a potential tool for investigation of antigen-specific CD8^＋ T-lymphocytes in SIV vaccine models of Chinese macaques. And our results also suggested that some antigenic peptides reported in Indian-origin macaques could be directly recruited as ligands for construction of Chinese macaque MHC tetramers.

The Influence of Age and Sex on the Cell Counts of Peripheral Blood Leukocyte Subpopulations in Chinese Rhesus Macaques

Non-human primates such as Chinese rhesus macaques are the favorable models for preclinical study of potential therapeutic drugs,vaccines and mechanisms of human diseases.Little is known about the normal levels of leukocyte subpopulations of Chinese rhesus macaques.To obtain these data,100 blood samples from Chinese rhesus macaques were collected.The normal range of major leukocyte subpopulations,such as T lymphocytes,B lymphocytes,monocytes,myeloid dendritic cells(mDCs)and plasmacytoid dendritic cells(pDCs),were quantitatively analyzed by flow cytometry through BD trucount tubes.The influence of age and sex on the cell counts of leukocyte subpopulations was analyzed.The counts of CD3^(+)T cells,CD3+CD4^(+)T cells,CD3+CD8^(+)T cells and B cells decreased with age,but those of monocytes,mDCs and pDCs had no significant correlation with age.Significant differences existed in the cell counts of most leukocyte subpopulations between the male and female groups except pDCs.Furthermore the values of the females were higher than those of the males.The study provided basic information about the leukocyte subpopulations of Chinese rhesus macaques,and it may be valuable for immunobiological study of Chinese rhesus macaques.

Differential transcriptomic landscapes of multiple organs from SARS-CoV-2 early infected rhesus macaques

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes complicated clinical manifestations with variable multi-organ injuries,how-ever,the underlying mechanism,in particular immune responses in different organs,remains elusive.In this study,comprehensive transcriptomic alterations of 14 tissues from rhesus macaque infected with SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed.Compared to normal controls,SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in dysregulation of genes involving diverse functions in various examined tissues/organs,with drastic transcriptomic changes in cerebral cortex and right ventricle.Intriguingly,cerebral cortex exhibited a hyperinflammatory state evidenced by sig-nificant upregulation of inflammation response-related genes.Meanwhile,expressions of coagulation,angio-genesis and fibrosis factors were also up-regulated in cerebral cortex.Based on our findings,neuropilin 1(NRP1),a receptor of SARS-CoV-2,was significantly elevated in cerebral cortex post infection,accompanied by active immune response releasing inflammatory factors and signal transmission among tissues,which enhanced infection of the central nervous system(CNS)in a positive feedback way,leading to viral encephalitis.Overall,our study depicts a multi-tissue/organ tran-scriptomic landscapes of rhesus macaque with early infection of SARS-CoV-2,and provides important insights into the mechanistic basis for COVID-19-asso-ciated clinical complications.

Phenotype and Function of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells from Chinese Rhesus Macaques

Dendritic cells （DCs） play a pivotal role in linking the innate immunity and acquired immunity in responses to pathogen. Non-human primates such as Chinese Rhesus Macaque （CRM） are the favorable models for preclinical study of potential therapeutic drugs, vaccines and mechanisms of human diseases. However, the phenotypical characterization of monocyte-derived dendritic cells （MDDCs） from CRM has not been elucidated. Monocytes from CRM were cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 in RPMI-1640. Six days later, these cells were differentiated with typical dendritical morphology. CDllc and DC-SIGN were highly expressed. The immature MDDCs expressed the low levels of CD25, CD80, CD83, moderate CD40, CD86, and high MHC. After stimulation, the mature MDDCs increased expression of mature molecules CD25 and CD83, co-stimulatory molecules such as CD80, CD86 and CD40, and kept a high level of MHC. The capacity of endocytosis decreased with maturation. The mature MDDCs have strong ability of inducing allogeneic T cell proliferation and producing IL-12. In conclusion, we have characterized the phenotype and ultimate function of MDDCs from CRM for the first time.

Pathogenic analysis of coxsackievirus A10 in rhesus macaques

Coxsackievirus A10(CV-A10)is one of the etiological agents associated with hand,foot and mouth disease(HFMD)and also causes a variety of illnesses in humans,including pneumonia,and myocarditis.Different people,particularly young children,may have different immunological responses to infection.Current CV-A10 infection animal models provide only a rudimentary understanding of the pathogenesis and effects of this virus.The characteristics of CV-A10 infection,replication,and shedding in humans remain unknown.In this study,rhesus macaques were infected by CV-A10 via respiratory or digestive route to mimic the HFMD in humans.The clinical symptoms,viral shedding,inflammatory response and pathologic changes were investigated in acute infection(1–11 day post infection)and recovery period(12–180 day post infection).All infected rhesus macaques during acute infection showed obvious viremia and clinical symptoms which were comparable to those observed in humans.Substantial inflammatory pathological damages were observed in multi-organs,including the lung,heart,liver,and kidney.During the acute period,all rhesus macaques displayed clinical signs,viral shedding,normalization of serum cytokines,and increased serum neutralizing antibodies,whereas inflammatory factors caused some animals to develop severe hyperglycemia during the recovery period.In addition,there were no significant differences between respiratory and digestive tract infected animals.Overall,all data presented suggest that the rhesus macaques provide the first non-human primate animal model for investigating CV-A10 pathophysiology and assessing the development of potential human therapies.

Superior intestinal integrity and limited microbial translocation are associated with lower immune activation in SIVmac239-infected northern pig-tailed macaques(Macaca leonina)

Microbial translocation is a cause of systemic immune activation in HIV/SIV infection. In the present study, we found a lower CD8+ T cell activation level in Macaca leonina (northern pig-tailed macaques, NPMs) than in Macaca mulatta (Chinese rhesus macaques, ChRMs) during SIVmac239 infection. Furthermore, the levels of plasma LPS-binding protein and soluble CD14 in NPMs were lower than those in ChRMs. Compared with ChRMs, SIV-infected NPMs had lower Chiu scores, representing relatively normal intestinal mucosa. In addition, no obvious damage to the ileum or colon epithelial barrier was observed in either infected or uninfected NPMs, which differed to that found in ChRMs. Furthermore, no significant microbial translocation (Escherichia coli) was detected in the colon or ileum of infected or uninfected NPMs, which again differed to that observed in ChRMs. In conclusion, NPMs retained superior intestinal integrity and limited microbial translocation during SIV infection, which may contribute to their lower immune activation compared with ChRMs.

食蟹猴重复给予溶瘤病毒药物HSV-1/hPD-1的毒性研究

目的:考察食蟹猴重复给予溶瘤病毒药物HSV-1/hPD-1后的体内毒性,探索安全剂量范围,为后续临床试验提供参考信息。方法:30只食蟹猴随机分成3组,包括溶媒对照组和低、高剂量(1.0×10^(8)、4.0×10^(8)pfu)组,每组10只,雌雄各半。采用肌肉注射给药,每周给药2次,连续给药6周,恢复期8周。试验期间,每天观察动物的临床症状和摄食量,每次给药后1~2天观察注射部位症状,每周称量体重。分别在检疫期、首次给药后、给药期结束、恢复期结束的不同时间点进行安全药理(体温、血压、心电图)测定、临床病理(血液学、血凝、血清生化、尿生化)检查、免疫学(T淋巴细胞、细胞因子、免疫原性)测定、组织病理学检查和脏器称重。结果:给药后,动物未见异常症状、注射部位刺激性、体重和摄食量改变,未见安全药理和临床病理指标有意义的变化。与溶媒对照组比较,第41天,低剂量会引起动物CD3^(+)CD4^(+)T细胞比例升高,高剂量未见明显变化。第13至97天,低、高剂量均能引起动物产生抗载体结合抗体、抗抗体,以及个别动物检出hPD-1表达产物。证明药物在体内产生免疫活性和介导免疫原性。组织病理学检查显示,给药期结束时,低、高剂量组动物注射部位极轻度至中度混合细胞浸润,高剂量组动物坐骨神经极轻度髓鞘/轴突变性;恢复期结束时注射部位病变减为极轻度,坐骨神经病变未见恢复趋势。低、高剂量组动物未见组织脏器重量改变。结论:食蟹猴重复给予溶瘤病毒药物HSV-1/hPD-1后,动物体内耐受良好,受试物未见毒性反应剂量(NOAEL)是1.0×10^(8)pfu。上述研究结果为药物开展临床试验提供了数据支持。

新型纳米睫状神经营养因子复合物玻璃体腔注射对食蟹猴眼部的安全性——形态学评价

目的评估一种新型纳米神经营养因子复合物(NP-CNTFs)在非人灵长类动物眼内应用的安全性。方法利用纳米工艺制备包裹睫状神经营养因子(CNTF)的纳米粒。选取3只成年雄性食蟹猴,单眼玻璃体腔注射10μl NP-CNTFs(1μg/μl)作为NP-CNTFs组,对侧眼注射等体积磷酸盐缓冲液作为对照组。在注射前、注射后第3天和第7天,对食蟹猴行常规眼前节检查以评估结膜充血、前房闪辉及前房细胞等眼部症状并评分;采用彩色眼底照相观察眼底情况;采用频域光学相干断层扫描(SD-OCT)检测视网膜形态结构及厚度。结果所制备NP-CNTFs粒径为(317±3)nm,多分散性指数为0.042±0.015,Zeta电位为(-38.9±0.7)mV,具备较好的稳定性、生物利用度和生物相容性。眼前节检查显示,NP-CNTFs组在注射后第3天表现出较对照组稍明显的结膜充血、前房闪辉和前房细胞,但在注射后第7天基本恢复正常。NP-CNTFs组与对照组注射后第3天眼前节症状评分分别为(2.67±0.88)和(1.00±0.58)分,注射后第7天分别为(0.67±0.33)和(0.33±0.33)分,组间比较差异均无统计学意义(t=2.50、1.00,均P>0.05)。彩色眼底照相结果显示,NP-CNTFs组和对照组在注射后第7天眼底均正常,未见玻璃体混浊、玻璃体出血、视网膜出血或视盘水肿等异常改变。SD-OCT结果显示,NP-CNTFs组和对照组在注射后第7天均未见明显视网膜组织学改变。NP-CNTFs组和对照组视网膜神经纤维层厚度分别为(107.67±0.88)和(111.00±3.22)μm,黄斑中央凹厚度分别为(255.67±2.03)和(254.67±3.84)μm,组间比较差异均无统计学意义(t=1.43、0.50,均P>0.05)。结论新型纳米药物NP-CTNFs在食蟹猴眼内应用的安全性较好。

阿伦狄克酸对脑缺血再灌注损伤食蟹猴模型的神经保护作用

目的评价阿伦狄克酸对食蟹猴脑缺血再灌注损伤(CIRI)的治疗作用。方法9只健康雄性食蟹猴,通过阻断左侧大脑中动脉4 h后再灌注建立CIRI模型。脑梗死72 h后,随机分为模型〔20%(W∶V)Solutol HS15和10%(V∶V)PEG400〕、模型+阿伦狄克酸钙10和30 mg·kg^(-1)组,每组3只,口服给药,每天2次,连续28 d。治疗期间,通过一系列神经行为学检查,如上肢采食技能测试和笼旁行为观察,及大脑梗死体积和脑水肿体积磁共振数据评估神经损伤和恢复。结果模型组食蟹猴在CIRI后表现出自然自发性恢复。与模型组相比,模型+阿伦狄克酸钙30 mg·kg^(-1)组行为学、上肢活动和脑病变体积明显恢复(P<0.05),模型+阿伦狄克酸钙10 mg·kg^(-1)组无明显改善。结论阿伦狄克酸可缩小CIRI食蟹猴模型脑梗死面积,改善神经行为活动和骨骼肌协调功能。

Age-related rhesus macaque models of COVID-19

Background:Since December 2019,an outbreak of the Corona Virus disease 2019(COVID-19)caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus(SARS-CoV-2)in Wuhan,China,has become a public health emergency of international concern.The high fatality of aged cases caused by SARS-CoV-2 was a need to explore the possible age-related phenomena with non-human primate models.Methods:Three 3-5 years old and two 15 years old rhesus macaques were intratracheally infected with SARS-CoV-2,and then analyzed by clinical signs,viral replication,chest X-ray,histopathological changes and immune response.Results:Viral replication of nasopharyngeal swabs,anal swabs and lung in old monkeys was more active than that in young monkeys for 14 days after SARS-CoV-2 challenge.Monkeys developed typical interstitial pneumonia characterized by thickened alveolar septum accompanied with inflammation and edema,notably,old monkeys exhibited diffuse severe interstitial pneumonia.Viral antigens were detected mainly in alveolar epithelial cells and macrophages.Conclusion:SARS-CoV-2 caused more severe interstitial pneumonia in old monkeys than that in young monkeys.Rhesus macaque models infected with SARS-CoV-2 provided insight into the pathogenic mechanism and facilitated the development of vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Dysbiosis of gut microbiome affecting small intestine morphology and immune balance:a rhesus macaque model

There is a growing appreciation for the specific health benefits conferred by commensal microbiota on their hosts.Clinical microbiota analysis and animal studies in germ-free or antibiotic-treated mice have been crucial for improving our understanding of the role of the microbiome on the host mucosal surface;however,studies on the mechanisms involved in microbiome-host interactions remain limited to small animal models.Here,we demonstrated that rhesus monkeys under short-term broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment could be used as a model to study the gut mucosal host-microbiome niche and immune balance with steady health status.Results showed that the diversity and community structure of the gut commensal bacteria in rhesus monkeys were both disrupted after antibiotic treatment.Furthermore,the 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing results indicated that Escherichia-Shigella were predominant in stool samples 9 d of treatment,and the abundances of bacterial functional genes and predicted KEGG pathways were significantly changed.In addition to inducing aberrant morphology of small intestinal villi,the depletion of gut commensal bacteria led to increased proportions of CD3+T,CD4+T,and CD16+NK cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs),but decreased numbers of Treg and CD20+B cells.The transcriptome of PBMCs from antibiotic-treated monkeys showed that the immune balance was affected by modulation of the expression of many functional genes,including IL-13,VCAM1,and LGR4.