Pre-infection depletion of pDC abolishes IFN-I induction during acute HIV-1 infection in humanized mice.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Summarized data of pDC percentages in total human leukocytes (CD45⁺) from humanized mice are shown mice. Mice were treated with either 15B or isotype control (iso) antibody. After pDC depletion, mice were infected with HIV-R3A and terminated on 8 days post infection (dpi) for analysis. Mock infected mice, <i>n</i> = 6; isotype+R3A infected mice, <i>n</i> = 9; 15B+R3A infected mice, <i>n</i> = 12. (<b>B</b>) Plasma levels of IFN-α2 from mock, HIV-1 infected and 15B or isotype mAb treated mice were quantified by Luminex assays. Mock, <i>n</i> = 3; isotype+R3A, <i>n</i> = 5; 15B+R3A, <i>n</i> = 5. (<b>C</b>) The mRNA expression of major type I IFN genes in purified human cells (CD45⁺) from mouse spleens was measured by real-time PCR. (<b>D</b>) ISGs (Mx1 and TRIM22) expression in purified human cells (CD45⁺) from mouse spleens was measured by real-time PCR. Mock, <i>n</i> = 3; isotype+R3A, <i>n</i> = 5; 15B+R3A, <i>n</i> = 5. Mice were analyzed at 8 days post infection. Error bars in graphs indicate median value. Error bars indicate standard deviations (SD). * and ** indicate p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively.