Fig. 3: Low oxygen reduces HIV transcription.

a 1G5 or TZM-bl cells were infected with HIV NL4.3-Bal (CCR5-tropic) or NL4.3 (CXCR4-tropic) and cultured at 20% or 1% O₂ for 48 h. HIV-dependent LTR activation was evaluated by measuring the net luciferase activity in infected cultures and the data expressed relative to the normoxic controls (n = 3–4, mean ± SEM, Mann–Whitney analysis). b TZM-bl cells were transfected with pTAT and cultured under 20% or 1% O₂ conditions. LTR activity was assessed 48 h later by evaluating luciferase expression in cell lysates and the data expressed relative to the normoxic controls (n = 5, mean ± SEM, Mann–Whitney analysis). c Jurkat cells or primary CD4 T cells were infected with VSV-G-pseudotyped HIV NL4.3-Luc and cultured at 20% or 1% O₂ for 48 h. Luciferase activity is expressed relative to values in the normoxic conditions (n = 3, mean ± SEM, Mann–Whitney analysis). d Jurkat cells transfected with WT or NF-kB motif deleted HIV-LTR-Luc reporter were cultured at 20% or 1% O₂ for 48 h and LTR activity assessed by evaluating luciferase expression in cell lysates. The data are expressed relative to the normoxic conditions (n = 3, mean ± SEM, Mann–Whitney analysis). e HIV subtype LTR-Luc reporters were transfected into Jurkat cells and cultured in 20% or 1% O₂ conditions for 48 h. Luciferase values (relative light units, RLU) are reported, and the dashed line represents the mean luciferase value of nontransfected cells cultured at 20% and 1% O₂ (n = 3, mean ± SEM, Two-way ANOVA analysis).