Figure 4

In vitro efficacy of CD8⁺ cells against pre-ART PBMC-derived SIV replication. (a) In vitro ability of CD8⁺ cells to suppress replication of SIVs derived from autologous pre-ART PBMCs in Groups N and V. CD8⁻ cells (target) derived from PBMCs at week 10 were cocultured with autologous CD8⁺ cells (effector) derived from PBMCs at week 10 (pre-ART), 27 (under ART), or 34 (post-ART), and the culture supernatants were subjected to analysis of SIV p27 concentrations by ELISA. The ratios of p27 concentrations in the supernatants from the coculture to those without CD8⁺ cells are shown as fold of reduction in replication of pre-ART PBMC-derived SIVs (in vitro anti-pre-ART SIV CD8⁺ cell efficacy). ND, not determined because of the limitation of sample availability. (b) Comparison of the ratios of anti-pre-ART SIV efficacy of CD8⁺ cells under ART (left panel) or post-ART (right panel) to pre-ART between Groups N and V. Group V showed significantly higher ratio of anti-pre-ART SIV efficacy of CD8⁺ cells under ART to pre-ART than Group N (P = 0.0173 by Mann–Whitney U test).