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. 2014 Jul 17;9(7):e102677. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102677

Figure 3. Soluble HIV Tat protein maintains suppression of CD127 expression on CD8 T-cells isolated from HIV-infected individuals over at least 72 hours.

Figure 3

Representative histograms show CD127 expression on CD8 T-cells isolated from an HIV-infected patient (Patient 7: CD4 = 272 cells/µl and VL = 61,517 copies/ml) and incubated in media alone (panel A) or in media containing 2 µg/ml (panel B) or 10 µg/ml (panel C) soluble Tat protein. CD127 expression on purified CD8 T-cells is shown immediately following cell isolation (gray fill) and after 24, 48 and 72 hours in culture (black lines). Panel D: Composite data from 6 patients showing changes in CD127 mean channel fluorescence. CD8 T-cells were isolated from HIV-infected patients and incubated in media alone, or in media containing 10 µg/ml Tat protein for 72 hours. For cells cultured in media alone, CD127 mean channel fluorescence increased within 24 hours and was maintained thereafter (p≤0.01 at 24, 48 and 72 hours compared to time of isolation). CD127 expression was not statistically different comparing cells cultured in media for 48 and 72 hours compared to 24 hours (p = 0.70 and 0.98 respectively). When cells were cultured in the presence of Tat protein, CD127 expression remained low with mean channel fluorescence readings significantly lower compared to cells cultured in media alone. (*indicates p≤0.003.).