Figure 3

Pc infection induced CD4+ TCM and TEM cell apoptosis during the malaria phase. (A) During the malaria phase, the apoptosis level of CD4+ TCM cells in the ART + Pc group was higher than that in the ART group, especially during acute malaria (weeks 49–53), although this difference was not significant (10.24 ± 7.34% vs. 6.98 ± 3.77%, P = 0.12; perhaps the limited significance was a result of the small number of monkeys). (B) Pc infection induced higher levels of apoptosis of CD4+ TEM cells throughout the malaria phase (12.09 ± 10.58% vs. 7.46 ± 6.81%). (C) A negative correlation was noted between the percentage of apoptotic CD4+ TCM cells and the SIV iDNA load in PBMCs during the malaria phase. (D) An approximate negative correlation was noted between the percentage of apoptotic CD4+ TEM cells and the SIV iDNA load in PBMCs during the malaria phase. Variables at different time points in the same phase and group were combined for statistical analyses. The Mann–Whitney U test was utilized. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the parameters tested in C and D.