FIG 1 .

IL-12 restored defective granule-mediated antifungal activity of NK cells from HIV-infected patients. (A) NK cells from healthy donors, HIV-infected patients on ART (+ART), and HIV-infected patients with no ART (−ART) were isolated and pretreated with rh-IL-12 for 20 h or not pretreated, and antifungal activity was assessed against C. neoformans. Data shown are from n = 7 independent healthy controls and 7 independent HIV-infected patients receiving ART and n = 4 independent patients not receiving ART. (B) NK cells from healthy or HIV-infected patients on ART were pretreated with rh-IL-12 for 18 h and then incubated in the presence or absence of SrCl₂ for 24 h. Treated NK cells were incubated with C. neoformans, and antifungal activity was determined by counting CFU. Data shown are the mean from n = 5 independent healthy controls and n = 3 independent HIV-infected subjects. (C) NK cells from healthy donors and HIV-infected patients on ART were pretreated with rh-IL-12 for 18 h. The stimulated perforin release in response to C. neoformans was assessed by ELISA. Data shown are the mean from n = 4 independent healthy controls and n = 4 independent HIV-infected patients. Data are the mean ± standard error of the mean. *, P < 0.05; ns, not significant.