- Sanchez, Joyce L;
- Hunt, Peter W;
- Reilly, Cavan S;
- Hatano, Hiroyu;
- Beilman, Gregory J;
- Khoruts, Alexander;
- Jasurda, Jake S;
- Somsouk, Ma;
- Thorkelson, Ann;
- Russ, Samuel;
- Anderson, Jodi;
- Deeks, Steven G;
- Schacker, Timothy W
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication causes lymphoid tissue (LT) fibrosis, which causes CD4(+) T-cell depletion. It is unknown whether people who spontaneously control HIV replication have LT fibrosis. We measured LT fibrosis and CD4(+) T cells in 25 HIV controllers, 10 noncontrollers, 45 HIV-positive individuals receiving therapy, and 10 HIV-negative individuals. Controllers had significant LT fibrosis and CD4(+) T-cell depletion, similar to noncontrollers, but the so-called Berlin patient (in whom HIV infection was cured) had near normal LT. Thus, LT fibrosis occurs in all HIV-infected subjects, and current therapy does not reverse it. Reversal of fibrosis during a curative intervention suggests that ongoing low-level virus production may maintain LT fibrosis.