The patients' HIV-1 RNA loads, CD4 cell counts, and ART.

a<p>Viral load was measured by the Amplicor HIV-1 monitor ultrasensitive Method (Roche), with a detection limit of 40 copies/ml of plasma.</p

Geometric mean titers (GMT) for serum (A) and mucosal (B: vaginal; C: fecal; D: lung; and E: nasal) anti-HA antibody responses of four groups of animals (n = 4–10 per group) measured on 21 days after initial immunization by ELISA.

<p>Bars represent the GMT of all animals in each group with error bars representing the 95% confidence. The numbers on the bar indicate the actual value of GMT. Star (*) indicates the significant difference in antibody titers between HA alone and HA plus C48/80 or plus CT (p<0.05).</p

Immunization and sample collection scheme.

<p>Four groups of mice, each consisted of 28, were immunized with either PBS, recombinant HA alone, HA plus C48/80 (10 µg) or CT (0.1 µg). Twenty mice were used for challenge with lethal dose of A/California/04/2009 live virus on 21 days after initial immunization and monitored for diseases (n = 10) and viral and pathological investigation in lung tissues (n = 10). The remaining eight were used for either cytokine production from stimulated spleenocytes (n = 3) or long-term antibody response (n = 5).</p

Figure 6

<p>(A) Survival percentage of four groups of animals (n = 10 per group) immunized with PBS, HA alone, HA plus C48/80 or HA plus CT. (B) Body weight changes.</p

Sequence analysis of 2-LTR circle junction from selected patients in Group A and B.

<p>The circle junction, 3′U5 and 5′U3 were aligned and numbered against HXB2. PCR products amplified from samples at week 0 and 4 were cloned and sequenced. Sequences for patients from group A are above the line while those from group B are under the line.</p

Correlation analysis for the change rates of 2-LTR.

<p>Relationships between baseline parameters and the later 2-LTR change rates were shown in the left panel, and the correlations between later change rates were shown in the right panel. Inside each panel, the correlations between the rate of changes in 2-LTR and the baseline or the change rate in plasma viral load, the total CD4⁺, memory (RO⁺) (mCD4) and naïve (RA⁺) CD4⁺ (nCD4) T cell count for the 12 patients in Group A were shown. Rate of 2-LTR increase or decrease was indicated as below.</p

Geometric mean titers (GMT) for serum anti-HA antibody responses after immunization with three doses (1 µg, 3 µg, or 9 µg) of recombinant HA together with C48/80, and compared with HA alone (9 µg) or plus CT.

<p>The numbers on the bar indicate the actual value of GMT.</p

Estimated doubling time or half-life of 2-LTR HIV DNA (weeks).

a<p>The slope of the increase rate of was negative, and the number inside the parentheses indicates the half-life.</p

Antigen-specific cytokine production from splenocytes after stimulation (n = 3/group).

<p>Antigen-specific cytokine production from splenocytes after stimulation (n = 3/group).</p

Figure 5

<p>(A) Comparison of serum neutralizing antibody activities against A/California/04/2009 live virus among the four groups of animals (n = 6 per group) immunized with PBS, HA alone, HA plus C48/80 or HA plus CT. The numbers on the bar indicate the actual value of GMT. Star (*) indicates the significant difference in neutralization titers between HA alone and HA plus C48/80 or plus CT (p<0.05). (B) Positive correlation between the serum binding and neutralizing antibody activities in all animals tested(n = 6 per group).</p