Infants with perinatal HIV from the TARA cohort, pre-ART

This study investigated immune correlates of viral control in infants with perinatally acquired HIV prior to initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected at a pre-ART time point and analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing to profile immune cell composition and transcriptional states. Infants were stratified into high and low viral load groups based on plasma HIV RNA levels at the time of sampling. Transcriptomic profiles were compared between groups to identify cell types, gene expression programs, and immune pathways associated with lower viral load, with the goal of defining candidate immune mechanisms that may contribute to spontaneous control of HIV replication in early life.