Figure 2

Quantification of IL-7 and IL-7Rα mRNA and IL-7Rα cell surface expression. (A) Quantification of IL-7 mRNA in PBMCs of 10 HIV-1⁺ patients that initiated cART and were thereafter followed up for 72 months (group I, from T0 to T72), of 18 HIV-1⁺ patients that did not require therapy (group II), and of 11 uninfected subjects (group III). Values measured in individual patients are shown as clear circles. Dashed significance lines indicate the results of the longitudinal analysis within patients of group I. (B) RNA expression of IL-7Rα in PBMCs of patients of groups I, II and III. Values measured in individual patients are shown as clear squares. (C) Surface expression of IL-7Rα on CD4⁺ cells in the three groups of subjects as determined by flow cytometry; statistical analysis performed by ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni test.