CD8+ cells and small viral reservoirs facilitate post-ART control of SIV replication in M3+ Mauritian cynomolgus macaques initiated on ART two weeks post-infection.

ABSTRACT: Sustainable HIV remission after antiretroviral therapy (ART) withdrawal, or post-treatment control (PTC), remains a top priority for HIV treatment. We observed surprising PTC in an MHC-haplomatched cohort of MHC-M3+ SIVmac239+ Mauritian cynomolgus macaques (MCMs) initiated on ART at two weeks post-infection (wpi). None of the MCMs possessed MHC haplotypes previously associated with SIV control. For six months after ART withdrawal, we observed undetectable or transient viremia in seven of the eight MCMs, despite detecting replication competent SIV using quantitative viral outgrowth assays. In vivo depletion of CD8α+ cells induced rebound in all animals, indicating the observed PTC was mediated, at least in part, by CD8α+ cells. With intact proviral DNA assays, we found that MCMs had signifi

SUBMITTER: Harwood OE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10553806 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature