Both CD31+and CD31- naive CD4+ T cells are persistent HIV type 1-infected reservoirs in individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy

BACKGROUND: Naive T cell recovery is critical for successful immune reconstitution after antiretroviral therapy (ART), but the relative contribution of CD31(+) and CD31a?> naive T cells to immune reconstitution and viral persistence is unknown. METHODS: In a cross-sectional (na??=a??94) and longitudinal (na??=a??10) study of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients before and after ART, we examined the ratio of CD31(+) to CD31a?> naive CD4(+) T cells. In the longitudinal cohort we then quantified the concentration of HIV-1 DNA in each cell subset and performed single-genome amplification of virus from memory and naive T cells. RESULTS: Patients receiving ART had a higher proportion of CD31(+) CD4(+) T cells than HIV-1-infected individuals naive to ART and uninfected control subjects (Pa?? naive CD4(+) T cells (Pa??=a??.751 and .251, respectively). Single-genome amplification showed no evidence of virus compartmentalization in memory and naive T cell subsets before or after ART. CONCLUSIONS: After ART, both CD31(+) and CD31a?> naive CD4(+) T cells expand, and both subsets represent a stable, persistent reservoir of HIV-1