Early PD-1 expression on CD8+ T-cells and the development of a stem-like phenotype are associated with HIV slow-progression in children

Population RNAseq was performed in PD-1high CD8+ T-cell of RP (rapid progressors) and SP (slow progressors) in the timepoint immediately after analytical treatment interruption. Although large proportion of differentially expressed genes appeared to be driven by individual heterogeneity, the RPs showed higher levels of Tim-3 (HAVCR2), a marker when co-expressed with PD-1+ that also characterizes terminally exhausted CD8+ T-cells Overall design: PD-1high CD8+ T-cells were sorted of -three SPs and three RPs with at the timepoint before analytical treatment interruption and RNAseq performed using whole-transcriptome-amplification using Smart-seq2.