HIV-1 RNA sequencing from PBMCs cryopreserved for more than twenty years

This study investigated the preservation of cell surface phenotypes and in-vitro functional capacity of PBMC after more than twenty years of cryopreservation of samples from viraemic HIV+ patients. We were able to activate production of HIV RNA from cultured CD4 T cells. Nanopore sequencing showed long intact un-spliced transcripts of both cell associated and supernatant cell free viral RNA.