Fig 1.

Viral loads and CD4⁺ T cell subsets in the peripheral blood. Seven animals each were infected intravenously with Δ5G and SIVmac239, respectively, and the blood specimens were examined for the following parameters. (A) Plasma viral loads. SIV RNA copies/ml in plasma from each animal were determined by real-time PCR with a probe and primers specific for Gag sequences of SIVmac239 (B) PBMC viral loads. SIV DNA and RNA copies in PBMCs were determined by real-time PCR with the same probe and primers as for the plasma vial loads. The results were plotted as mean values with the SEM. (C) Frequencies of CD4⁺ T cells and CD4⁺ CCR5⁺ T cells. The frequencies of CD4⁺ T cells and CD4⁺ CCR5⁺ T within gated populations of CD3⁺ T cells were examined by flow cytometry. The percentages of CD4⁺ T cells among the gated CD3⁺ T cells and the relative percentage to baseline (preinfection) for CD4⁺ CCR5⁺ T cells are shown with mean values with the SEM. (D) Naive, central memory (CM)/transitional memory (TrM), and effector memory (EM) CD4⁺ T cells. Naive (CD28⁺ CD95⁻), CM/TrM (CD28⁺ CD95⁺), and EM (CD28⁻ CD95⁺) subsets in CD4⁺ T cells were examined by flow cytometry and the percentages (mean and SEM) within gated CD3⁺ T cells are shown.