Figure 6.

EGCG reactivates the expression of viral RNA in ex vivo cultures of CD8⁺-depleted PBMCs isolated from cART-treated aviremic HIV-1+ individuals. Ex vivo cultures of CD8⁺-depleted PBMCs isolated from 22 cART-treated aviremic HIV⁺ individuals were mock-treated or treated for 24 h with EGCG, at the indicated concentrations, or with anti-CD3+anti-CD28 antibodies serving as positive control stimulation. (a) Total intracellular RNA was extracted and cell-associated HIV-1 US RNA was quantified. Medians are represented. Open circles depict undetectable values, censored to the assay detection limits. The latter depended on the amounts of input cellular RNA and therefore differed between samples. Statistical significance was determined by paired Wilcoxon tests, where pairs were included in the analysis only when either (i) both values in a pair were detectable, or (ii) one value in a pair was undetectable and the other detectable, and the maximal value of the undetectable (the assay detection limit) was lower than the detectable. (b) In 7 out of 22 HIV⁺ individuals, the concentration of HIV-1 extracellular genomic RNA in culture supernatants was also determined (in copies/ml).