Significant Depletion of CD4⁺ T Cells Occurs in the Oral Mucosa during Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection with the Infected CD4⁺ T Cell Reservoir Continuing to Persist in the Oral Mucosa during Antiretroviral Therapy

Figure 3

CD4⁺ T cells are significantly depleted in the oral mucosa during chronic SIV infection but repopulate during ART. (a) Plasma viral loads (limit of detection is 30 copies/mL of plasma) in untreated and treated animals. (b) Proportions of total CD4⁺ T cells in the oral and rectal mucosa and central memory CD4⁺ T cell subsets in peripheral blood during chronic SIV infection and ART. (c) Proportions of CD4⁺IL-17⁺ T cells in the oral mucosa during ART. (d) Level of SIV infection in sorted CD4⁺ T cells from the oral mucosa during ART.

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