Differentiation into an Effector Memory Phenotype Potentiates HIV-1 Latency Reversal in CD4 + T Cells

Abstract

By performing phenotypic analysis of latency reversal in CD4 + T cells from virally suppressed individuals, we identify the T EM subset as the largest contributor to the inducible HIV reservoir. Differential responses of memory CD4 + T cell subsets to latency-reversing agents (LRAs) demonstrate that HIV gene expression is associated with heightened expression of transcriptional pathways associated with differentiation, acquisition of effector function, and cell cycle entry. In vitro modeling of the latent HIV reservoir in memory CD4 + T cell subsets identify LRAs that reverse latency with ranges of efficiency and specificity. We found that therapeutic induction of latency reversal is associated with upregulation of identical sets of T EM -associated genes and cell surface markers shown to be associated with latency reversal in our ex vivo and in vitro models. Together, these data support the idea that the effector memory phenotype supports HIV latency reversal in CD4 + T cells.