HIV Gag-specific polyfunctional CD8⁺ T-cell responses. (A) The overall polyfunctionality of the mucosal CD8⁺ T-cell response can be visualized with pie charts in which each slice represents a different functional category: black indicates 5 functions; purple, 4 functions; dark blue, 3 functions; light blue, 2 functions; green, 1 function. The number in the center of each pie represents the median total percentage of cells responding in any way to Gag stimulation. Elite and viremic controllers are combined into a single “controller” category. NC indicates noncontroller; HAART, HAART-suppressed. Statistical differences between groups are indicated above pie charts. (B) The bar chart shows the total Gag-specific response broken down into 31 individual response categories. Each bar represents the median and interquartile ranges for the frequency of responding cells for a different patient group as indicated by the colored rectangle beneath each pie (ie, blue indicates controllers; red, noncontrollers; green, HAART-suppressed). The colored bars below the x-axis relate to the pie slice colors in Figure 4A. Statistical differences between patient groups are marked by an asterisk (*) and color coded (blue indicates controllers; red, noncontrollers; green, HAART). All differences were significant at P < .01. (C) Expression of MIP-1β in mucosal CD8⁺ T cells as measured by MFI comparing polyfunctional cells to dual- and single-function cells in controllers and noncontrollers. Each data point represents the MFI from a separate population of cells (5+, 4+, 3+, 2+, or 1+). Horizontal bars represent the median for each group. ***P < .001.