FIG. 5.

LTNP with strikingly different T-cell responses. This figure summarizes results for two LTNP, patients 50 and 48. (A) Bar graphs show the total magnitude of HIV Gag-specific responses in each functional category, expressed as a percentage of CD8⁺ T cells after subtraction of background values. Values below the cutoff of 0.05% were dropped. The combination of functions evaluated in each category is given below the bar graph; these combinations have been color coded and correspond to slices of the pie charts above. In the pie charts, triple-function responses (expressing CD107, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) are coded as black, dual-function cells are coded as green, and single-function responses are coded as orange. The percentages superimposed on the pie charts represent the total-response magnitude (i.e., all nonoverlapping functional groups combined) for each patient and tissue. (B) Flow cytometry plots showing the response of CD8⁺ T cells from patient 50 to stimulation with HIV-1 Gag peptides. A robust, polyfunctional response was observed in cells from rectal mucosa (top row), while a more modest response was observed in PBMC (bottom row). Numbers are percentages of CD8⁺ T cells expressing each marker after subtraction of values for unstimulated controls.