CD4 T cell depletion in C/R and T/F HIV-1 variants infected human cervical tissue <i>ex vivo</i>.

<p>Blocks of human cervical tissue were infected with C/R or T/F viruses, and cultured <i>ex vivo</i>. 12 days post infection, the tissues were enzymatically digested and their cells were analyzed by polychromatic flow cytometry. T cells were identified by staining for CD3 and side-scatter. In this subset CD4 and CD8 were identified. The depletion of CD4 T cells was estimated by comparing the ratio of CD8⁺ to CD4⁺ (CD8⁻) T cells in infected and uninfected controls, and expressing this ratio in infected tissue as a percent of the same ratio in matched uninfected control. Data showing individual experiments and summary box plots for n = 19 and n = 14 (median, 25^th and 75^th percentiles, and range of CD4/CD8 ratios in tissues infected with C/R viruses (empty boxes) and in tissues infected with T/F viruses, (filled boxes) are presented.