Effect of interleukin-2 on the pool of latently infected, resting CD4(+) Tcells in HIV-1-infected patients receiving highly active anti-retroviral therapy

The size of the pool of resting CD4(+) T cells containing replication-compe tent HIV in the blood of patients receiving intermittent interleukin (IL)-2 plus highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) was significantly lower than that of patients receiving HAART alone. Virus could not be isolated f rom the peripheral blood CD4(+) T cells in three patients receiving IL-2 pl us HAART, despite the fact that large numbers of resting CD4(+) T cells wer e cultured. Lymph node biopsies were done in two of these three patients an d virus could not be isolated. These results indicate that the intermittent administration of IL-2 with continuous HAART may lead to a substantial red uction in the pool of resting CD4(+) T cells that contain replication-compe tent HIV.