BLyS expression by mDCs. (A) Cells were gated on total live PBMC and then on CD3⁻HLA-DR⁺ cells (mDCs; left panel). MDCs are CD11c⁺CD14⁻CD16⁻ or CD11c⁺CD14⁻CD16⁺ (middle and right panels). (B) Membrane BLyS expression in CD16⁻ mDCs of rapid progressors (left panel), normal progressors (middle panel), and slow progressors (right panel). (C) Membrane BLyS expression in CD16⁺ mDCs of rapid progressors (left panel), normal progressors (middle panel), and slow progressors (right panel). The same values are used for HIV-negative donors in the left, middle, and right graphs to show this group as a control. Membrane BLyS expression is defined as the calibrated geometric and compared with the Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney U tests for pairwise comparisons of different phases of infection within each group and between the study groups, respectively. *P < .05. PI indicates postinfection; and ART, antiretroviral treatment.