Escape from apoptosis of TNF-⁺ T cells is associated with cosynthesis of IL-2.

Following 16 hours of PMA+PHA+ionomycin stimulation, dual intracellular staining of PBMCs was performed with anti–IL-2-PE and anti–TNF-α-FITC mAbs. (A) Dot-plots, gated on CD3⁺ T cells, from a representative HIV⁻ control, an HIV⁺ PI⁻ patient (M0), and an HIV⁺ PI⁺ patient treated for 12 months (M12). (B) Differential susceptibility to activation-induced apoptosis of IL-2⁺TNF-α⁻, IL-2⁺TNF-α⁺, and IL-2⁻TNF-α⁺ lymphocytes. (C) Relative contribution of IL-2⁺TNF-α⁺ and IL-2⁻TNF-α⁺ cells to the expansion of total TNF-α⁺ T cells following HAART. The letter C indicates healthy subjects (n = 7); PI⁻, HIV⁺ PI⁻ patients naı̈ve of PI therapy (n = 12); and PI⁺, HIV⁺ PI⁺patients with at least 9 months of PI therapy (n = 13). Paragraph symbol indicates P < .05 vs HIV⁻ controls; asterisk, P < .05 vs HIV⁺ PI⁻ patients (Mann-Whitney U test).