Fig. 7.

(A) Of the cytokine-producing cells in the population of CD8⁺ T cells stimulated by the HERV-K FAFTIPAI (FI8) peptide, the proportion producing both IFN-γ and TNF-α was similar to that producing IFN-γ only, whereas the HIV-1 TAFTIPSI (TI8)-specific population was dominated by IFN-γ production. (B) The HERV-K FI8-specific CD8⁺ population had a differentiation profile similar to that of the CMV pp65 pool-specific cells (the highest proportion being CD27⁻ CD28⁻, consistent with a late-differentiation stage) and distinct from that of the HIV-1 TI8-specific cells (most cells being CD27⁺, consistent with a less mature stage). (C) The HERV-K FI8-specific CD8⁺ population had a lower level of activation than the HIV-1 TI8-specific CD8⁺ cells, as measured by CD38 mean fluorescence intensity. Values are means and standard errors of the means.