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. 2021 May 6;35(8):1179–1190. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000002881

Fig. 4.

Cytokine upregulation is not due to residual HIV-1 in extracellular vesicle fractions.

Fig. 4

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) collected from tissue cultures either infected with HIV-1, infected with HIV-1 and treated with RTV, treated with RTV only, or uninfected (controls) were purified on iodixanol (Iod) gradients and verified to be free of HIV-1. EVs were added to recipient tissues on day 0 and day 6 and the release of cytokines was evaluated. Cytokine and p24 production were measured every 3 days and cumulative production was calculated. (a) HIV-1 replication in donor-matched tissues infected with HIV-1 or exposed to EVs. HIV-1 replication was assessed by p24gag released into the supernatant. Presented are mean cumulative releases (±SEM) over a 12 day period. (b--f) Cytokine release into the culture medium by tissues treated with EVs. Cytokine release is cumulative production over 12 days expressed in pg/ml. Presented are mean (±SEM) values (∗P < 0.05, one-sided t-test, n = 5).