Fig 3. Stability of HIV transcripts ex vivo.

Peripheral CD4+ T cells were isolated from an ART-suppressed individual and treated with the RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) inhibitors (A) Triptolide [100 nM] or (B) Actinomycin D [5 mg/mL] to arrest de novo cellular and viral transcription. HIV transcripts (Read-through, TAR, Long LTR, Nef, PolyA, and MS Tat-Rev) were quantified using RT-ddPCR from cells harvested at various time points post-treatment. Levels of each HIV RNA were expressed as a proportion of the level at time t = 0 (shown) and the half-lives were determined using a one-phase exponential decay model. Data normalized to DNA mass are shown.