MM is independent of the activation level of HIV-specific CD8⁺ T cells. (A) Representative flow cytometry showing HIV- and CMV-specific CD8⁺ T cells from an HIV⁺ patient. Histograms depict ex vivo levels of CD38 in HIV-specific, CMV-specific, and CD8⁺ T cells from a healthy donor (left panel). Pooled data showing the ex vivo percentages (%) of CD38⁺ cells in HIV-specific (□; n = 10), CMV-specific (▪; n = 17), and total CD8⁺ T cells from HIV⁺ patients (♦; n = 35) and healthy donors (○; n = 14) (right panel). (B) Representative flow cytometry showing ex vivo MM in CD38⁺ and CD38⁻ HIV-specific CD8⁺ T cells from an HIV⁺ patient (left panel). Pooled data showing the ex vivo percentages (%) of MM^High cells in CD38⁺ and CD38⁻ HIV-specific (n = 4), CMV-specific (n = 6), and total CD8⁺ T cells from HIV⁺ patients (n = 8) and healthy individuals (n = 4). Bars depict means ± SE (right panel). The P values were calculated using Student t test.