FIG 1.
Experimental design and ART treatment. (A) Study design. All animals were infected with SIVmac239, 4 animals were treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) at 2 months postinfection (early chronic treated animals), and another 4 animals were treated with ART at 10 months postinfection (late chronic treated animals). After ∼10 months of ART, when virus was fully suppressed, the CD4R1 anti-CD4-depleting antibody was administered in all animals (black arrow). Both early chronic and late chronic treated animals were monitored for 4 and 7 months, respectively. Small blood draws were collected every 2 weeks from all animals to monitor CD4 counts. Large blood draws (red arrows), rectal biopsy specimens (green arrows), and fine needle aspirates or lymph node biopsy specimens (blue arrows) were collected pre-CD4 depletion and post-CD4 depletion, at 4 or 5 months after CD4 depletion. (B) Plasma viral loads for individual animals using the standard assay (limit, 60 copies/ml plasma). (C) CD4 counts (cells/μl whole blood). (D) Percentage of CD4+ T cells. Open symbols represent early chronic treated animals, and closed symbols represent late chronic treated animals. Each symbol represents a different animal, and the line represents the median.