Clonally expanded CD4+ T cells with a unique gene signature contribute to persistence of the HIV-1 latent reservoir

Surface expression of the viral Envelope protein (Env) was used to enrich reactivated latent T cells producing HIV-RNA, and single cell RNASeq was performed to study gene expression differences between latent cells and controls. Latent CD4+ T cells from virologically suppressed patients were reactivated in vitro and isolated using antibodies against HIV-1 Env. Single cell RNASeq was performed comparing reactivated latent cells with control, unpurified cells from the same donor and with cells actively infected in vitro using HIV-1(YU2).