Latent infection of CD4+ T cells provides a mechanism for lifelong persistence of HIV-1, even in patients on effective combination therapy.
Combination therapy for HIV-1 infection can reduce plasma virus to undetectable levels, indicating that prolonged treatment might eradicate the infection. However, HIV-1 can persist in a latent form in resting CD4+ T cells. We measured the decay rate of this latent reservoir in 34 treated adults whose plasma virus levels were undetectable. The mean half-life of the latent reservoir was very long (43.9 months). If the latent reservoir consists of only 1 x 10(5) cells, eradication could take as long as 60 years. Thus, latent infection of resting CD4+ T cells provides a mechanism for lifelong persistence of HIV-1, even in patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy.
Finzi
D
D
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Blankson
J
J
Siliciano
J D
JD
Margolick
J B
JB
Chadwick
K
K
Pierson
T
T
Smith
K
K
Lisziewicz
J
J
Lori
F
F
Flexner
C
C
Quinn
T C
TC
Chaisson
R E
RE
Rosenberg
E
E
Walker
B
B
Gange
S
S
Gallant
J
J
Siliciano
R F
RF
D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000254:growth & development*; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load; D017735:Virus Latency; D014779:Virus Replication
D012367:RNA, Viral