Fig. 2: HIV infection causes Th dysregulation that sustained even after ARI treatment.

TCR-stimulated HTOC was infected with HIV. Control cultures were not infected (Uninfected). In some cultures, ARI was added the next day to block subsequent rounds of infection. Cells were allowed to expand in the presence of TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) and IL-2 (100 U/ml) for 6 days. A FOXP3 and CD25 expression (top) and PD-1 and IFN-γ expression (bottom) in CD4⁺ (CD3⁺CD8^neg) FOXP3⁺ cells, showing the frequency of T_regs and T_regDys. Expression of IL-17A and ROR-γt (B), and IL-17A and CCR6 (C) in CD4⁺ cells, showing the frequency of Th17 cells. Representative contour plots (left), statistical analyses of proportions of the cells from 5 independent experiments showing the frequency of these subsets (A, B, right). D Statistical analysis of T_regDys/Th17 ratio based on the results in A and B. Results derived from five independent experiments are presented as mean values +/− SEM. A–D ****P < 0.0001; ***P < 0.0002; *P < 0.02; Two-tailed; Unpaired t test. Circles within box plots represent each replicate.