Figure 5.

Total CD4 T cells were sorted and infected as described in Figs. 1 and 2. Stimulation intensity was varied by increasing the ratio of P815/B7 cells to CD4 cells (Left) or anti-CD3/CD28 beads to CD4 cells (Right). Cell number and viral replication are expressed as percent of maximum. These data show that the strength of the stimulus differentially impacts cellular and viral replication. At slightly suboptimal stimulations (where cellular replication rate is about 90% of maximal), viral replication is substantial. As the stimulation strength is increased, viral replication is suppressed. Thus, the stronger stimulation is required to evince the suppressive activity expressed by naïve, and to a lesser extent, M2 CD4 T cells.