Fig. 4.

Impact of polyclonal expansion on T cell memory phenotype at the cervix. (A) Representative plots showing naive and antigen-experienced T cells (total memory) based on differential expression of CD27 and CD45RO. (B) Gating strategy used to define central memory (CD45RO⁺CD27⁺CCR7⁺), transitional memory cells (CD45RO⁺CD27⁺CCR7⁻), effector memory cells (CD45RO⁺CD27⁺CCR7⁺), CD45RO⁺CD27⁻CCR7⁺, naive T cells (CD45RO⁻CD27⁺CCR7⁺), intermediate memory cells (CD45RO⁻CD27⁺CCR7⁻), effector (CD45RO⁻CD27⁻CCR7⁻) and CD45RO⁻CD27⁻CCR7⁻ cells. (C) Comparison of the frequency of total, effector memory and central memory subsets expressed as percentages of total CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells at the cervix of chronically HIV-infected individuals (n = 5) before and after expansion using three different protocols. Cervical cells were expanded using the methods that yielded best expansion in PBMC experiments [Dynal beads (1:1)/IL-2 and IL-2/IL-7/IL-15] and compared with anti-CD3/IL-2 alone. Each box and whisker plot shows the median (central line), IQR (outer lines of box) and 5–95% range (error bars) of 5 HIV-infected individuals. * indicates p < 0.05 while ** indicates p < 0.01 using Wilcoxon rank test.