FIG. 8.

Plasma HIV RNA level is related to pDC frequencies and IFN-α production in response to CpG ODN. (A) PBMC were isolated and examined by flow cytometry to measure the percentage of lineage DR and CD123⁺ cells (pDC frequencies). This percentage was plotted against the plasma HIV RNA levels (log₁₀ scale). Spearman's correlation coefficients (CC) are shown in the figure. (B) The amount of IFN-α was measured in cell supernatants by ELISA following overnight incubation of PBMC with CpG ODN (3 μg/ml). The relationship between this value and plasma HIV RNA levels is shown. (C) Data were analyzed according to levels of plasma HIV RNA levels of ≤400 or >400 copies/ml, and pDC frequencies were compared to those calculated from healthy donor PBMC samples. (D) A similar comparison is shown for IFN-α production in response to CpG ODN for PBMC samples. Statistical differences in means were determined by ANOVA and Tukey. VL, viral load.